


The Stranger Upstairs

by gneebee



Category: The Walking Dead (TV), bethyl - Fandom, daryl dixon - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - 1930s, Alternate Universe - Historical, Awkward Romance, Babies, Bethyl Babies, Eventual Romance, F/M, Falling In Love, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Love, Mild Smut, Protectiveness, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-28
Updated: 2021-01-06
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:40:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 19
Words: 100,933
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26069605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gneebee/pseuds/gneebee
Summary: It's 1930 and times are tough, especially in Georgia. A young farm girl named Beth Greene makes a big move to Atlanta seeking employment and  meets an attractive man named Daryl Dixon. They do their best to deny their attraction, until one night when fate intervenes and a devastating circumstance brings them together.
Relationships: Bethyl - Relationship, Daryl Dixon and Beth Greene, Daryl Dixon/Beth Greene, Daryl and Beth
Comments: 218
Kudos: 159





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you all so much for stopping by to check in on my newest Bethyl story, The Stranger Upstairs. This story sets our couple in 1930, in the midst of The Great Depression. I hope you enjoy it!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for stopping by for a look at my newest Bethyl story, The Stranger Upstairs. This story sets our couple in 1930 in the midst of The Great Depression.
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

00

**Georgia, 1930**

At 18 years of age Beth Greene has never known anything but hard economic times. It isn't that money's tight, it's that there simply is no money. The stock market didn't have to fall to make Georgia's economy crash. It crashed a decade before Wall Street fell and things haven't gotten better.

1930 marks six years since her Daddy lost the farm. That's when he moved their family in with his brother. Her Uncle wasn't faring much better than them, but at least he still had his place and it's thanks to him they all had a roof over their heads.

Then they lost Mama, the flu took her in '27 and Daddy was never quite the same. He was consumed with a sadness he couldn't shake, and soon it seemed everything else started falling apart too.

It wasn't long after Mama died when Maggie ran off with some boy from up North. That upset Daddy nearly as much as losing Mama, and Maggie wasn't the only one who left. Shortly after she went North, Shawn headed out West hoping to find work. He tried silver mining in Arizona but never did strike a vein. Hungry and desperate for any type of work, he crossed the southern border into Mexico.

Not long ago he wrote to say he found a good job on a big horse and cattle ranch in Sonora, he says he's even learning to speak the language. It seems living on the ranch has even given him a dream. He wants to start up his own place just as soon as he can save the money. Then the shocker comes, he writes that the dream he has isn't his alone. He's met a young Senorita named Rosita Espinoza who shares the dream with him. They plan to marry the very next week.

That shakes Daddy right to his core, "What's he thinking?! That kind of marriage isn't even legal in Georgia. Doesn't he realize they'll never be able to come visit us?" His heart breaks once more with the certainty he'll never see his son again.

Beth is the only child Hershel Greene still has at home and he's desperate for her to stay. But she's just graduated from High School and although she loves her Daddy more than anything, she's young and anxious to have a life of her own.

She knows she has no future if she stays, all there is to look forward to is more poverty and a dismal existence. She has in mind she'd like to go to the big city, Atlanta sounds like such an exciting place. She sure would like to see what it's like to live in a place like that.

Daddy won't hear of it. He says it's as evil a place as the devil ever made. But Beth's heart tells her if she doesn't break away now she may never do it. She has to make her own life. She has to get out, but she can't bring herself to disobey her father.

She has no one she feels she can talk to about these things. No mama, no sister and no friend she feels comfortable confiding in. Desperation leads her to the preacher's wife, a very kind and understanding woman, Miss Olivia.

They sit in the parlor of Miss Olivia's home drinking tea and nibbling on molasses cookies while Beth explains, "I don't know what to do. I feel lost and trapped at the same time. I don't have a future here. I don't have a suitor; I don't even know an acceptable young man who I'd agree to marry. What am I to do?"

Miss Olivia is listening politely while Beth just keeps pouring her heart out, "Oh how I wish I could go to Atlanta, surely there's work there. That's what I need, to strike out on my own for someplace I might be able to find employment. I understand times are difficult everywhere, but I'd be willing to do just about any kind of work."

Miss Olivia doesn't hesitate for one moment; she has an idea in mind already. "It so happens a letter arrived just yesterday. It's from a dear friend of mine up Atlanta way. Her name is Erma Horvath, a lovely and Godly woman. Her husband Dale used to be a shopkeeper but he sold his business a few years back. After a while he got a little restless not working and they decided to try their hand at running a rooming house."

She stands and walks to her small desk, saying as she goes, "Let me quickly check. I don't want to give you false information." She sits back down with the letter in her hand and Beth can't help noticing it carries the fragrance of lilacs.

Miss Olivia continues, "Yes, yes it says right here, now that she and Dale are getting older they're finding it difficult to keep up with all the work. She's anxious about hiring just anyone off the streets, and she asks if I might know of the right sort of person who would be interested in helping them."

Beth is already starting to tingle with anticipation when Miss Olivia smiles and notes, "Now this sounds like a perfect description of you Beth. She says right here in this paragraph they'd like to find a respectable, churchgoing young woman to assist them. Someone to help with cleaning and cooking."

She looks down at the letter again, "Yes, uh huh, she goes on to write that the compensation would include a small private bedroom and use of a shared bathroom. There are meals as well, and it says there will also be a weekly stipend of five dollars." Beth is surprised by the city wages. Five dollars each week seems like quite a princely sum of money.

The preacher's wife touches an index finger to her temple and her brows crease when she says, "Let me think what else I know about the place. Oh yes, I remember now, it's not right downtown. It's just on the edge of the city. She does mention in her letter there's a streetcar that runs directly in front of the house. A person can ride it into Atlanta for 10 cents. Church is walking distance." She smiles at Beth and asks, "Would this position interest you Beth?"

Beth is so excited she's ready to jump up from her seat and run to Atlanta, "Yes, oh yes ma'am, that sounds perfect. I've been wondering how in the world I'd go about finding a safe place to stay, and how I could possibly pay rent while I'm seeking employment. And meals, oh my. It's as if my prayers and my questions have all been answered."

Olivia's nodding her head when she agrees, "And you're certainly no stranger to cooking and cleaning."

Suddenly Beth's expression turns glum, "Daddy will never agree. If he has his way I'll die a spinster keeping house for two grouchy old men."

Olivia shakes her head as she smiles, "Now Beth, let's not have that kind of talk. You just leave it to me and the Reverend, your Daddy will see the light. We'll pay him a call tonight right after supper." She pats Beth's arm, "Don't you worry Sweet Girl, I have a feeling we can persuade him."

"Oh my Miss Olivia, how will I ever repay you?"

"There's no need for you to repay me, I'll be helping out two of my very dear friends, Erma Horvath and Beth Greene. That's quite the reward."

Walking home Beth Greene has a huge smile on her face. What if they really can convince Daddy? What if she really is allowed to go to Atlanta? She's afraid to hope too hard, but as it turns out the dream comes true.

The following Saturday the neighbor man, Otis, drives her in his farm truck over to the depot in Albany. He stands with arms folded across his chest as he waits until she's safely on the bus to Atlanta.

She's scared to death. Maybe she shouldn't go. Maybe she's better off staying with her Daddy and Uncle. Yes, yes, she should apologize to the bus driver for any inconvenience and get off before Otis leaves.

Instead she looks out the window at the neighbor man, smiles and waves goodbye as the bus pulls away from the depot.

Her case is packed with everything she owns, and everything she owns doesn't amount to much. She has an everyday dress, worn thin from use, a bit nicer dress she's wearing now, and her Sunday dress.

She has three pair of threadbare underpants, two camisoles that are equally worn, and two pair of socks a person can practically see through. There's one thin nightie, a sweater that's ready to unravel, and an equally worn coat.

There are also some priceless treasures, a framed photo of her family in better days, when they were all together and complete misery hadn't yet set in. There's a beautiful leather-bound book full of blank pages and a fountain pen to go with it. Miss Olivia gifted them to her, telling her she simply must keep a journal of her big city adventures so she'll always remember them.

The third item is a bible the preacher gave her when he said, "You be sure and read the Good Book every day now Beth, it will help you stay on a righteous path."

* * *

As the bus bumps, bounces and rattles its way to Atlanta, she leans her head back, closes her eyes and thinks about what her life in the city will be like and all the things she'll do. Her dreams are modest and of a practical nature.

With her first five dollars of pay she plans to purchase two pair of underpants, two camisoles and two pair of cotton socks. After car fare, 25 cents for the collection plate on Sunday, and a two penny postcard to send Daddy and one to send Miss Olivia, she should have $1.54 cents left.

That's the sort of plan she has for these first few weeks, each week she's going to take care of getting herself a few things she needs. Nothing fancy, just some necessities. Well, maybe not only necessities. She smiles thinking she might allow herself to splurge on some lavender scented soaps and a roll of Lifesavers candy. Once she has the things she needs she can start sending Daddy a dollar a week to help him out.

She's all wide-eyes looking out the window as the bus enters Atlantic. The city is even bigger and more busy and hectic than she imagined it would be. There are so many buildings, shops, hotels, movie theaters and restaurants. Cars line the streets, there are power lines overhead and the sidewalks are crowded with people. Everyone seems to be hurrying to get somewhere, but she has no idea where.

That's not all she notices; she also sees the evidence of what the shattered economy has caused as they drive by a long queue of men waiting in a bread line. The sight brings tears to her eyes and reminds her how grateful she is to have a place to stay where there will be food to eat.

In her pocketbook she has a paper with the name of the stop where she's to get off the bus, and instructions where to walk from there to catch the streetcar for the rooming house. She also has an envelope addressed to Mr. and Mrs. Dale Horvath, it's her letter of introduction from the Reverend and Miss Olivia.

Her tummy is so nervous and her hands are shaking as she steps off the bus with her case. She looks around a moment, looks at her paper and makes her way to the streetcar stop. She's relieved to find it so easily, and once on the streetcar it's only a mile and a half or so before she reaches her stop.

The house is on the corner and Beth can't believe she may actually be calling it home. It looks so grand, why it not only has a big front porch, it has a huge upstairs balcony. Then she shakes her head, silly girl. Of course it's enormous, it would have to be with so many people living there.

She walks up four steps to the front porch and sets her case down. She lays her hand flat on her tummy as if that will help settle it, closes her eyes as she draws in a deep breath and rings the bell.

It takes two or three minutes before an older woman opens the door. The woman immediately smiles and says, "Can I help you young lady?"

Beth's so nervous she's afraid she'll faint as she hands the woman the letter, "My name is Beth Greene. Miss Olivia sent me, she said you may have a position available."

"Oh yes, come in dear. Set your case down and have a seat. Let me get Mr. Horvath so we can read this together." The woman disappears into another room giving Beth an opportunity to take in her surroundings. The parlor is spacious and she can't help noticing all the seating. Two sofas face one another and there are several occasional chairs. She imagines the room must be a busy place where the residents of the house gather in the evenings, particularly in winter when it's a little too chilly to sit out on the porch.

Her thoughts are interrupted when the older couple walk in the room. Beth stands to show her respect and the gentleman does the introductions, "Miss Greene, my name is Dale Horvath and this is my wife Erma. Please, have a seat and let's discuss the possibility of you taking a position here."

He tells her they've been running the rooming house for ten years and she's a little startled when he adds, "We don't rent to families or young ladies, our boarders are all men. Everyone who stays here is polite and respectful or they don't have a place here for long. We run a good home. We don't short them on food, we serve good hardy meals, it's clean and I keep everything in the house in good repair."

All men? Oh my.

"Erma can tell you what your duties would include and give you a little tour, then you two can decide if you're right for the position." He turns to his wife and smiles, "You ladies discuss the particulars, I'm going out for my walk."

When he leaves Miss Erma proceeds to explain, "Your duties would include cooking, cleaning and all that involves, and my hope would be for you and I to share that work equally. I can't do it all myself Beth, not anymore. Just cooking for so many is exhausting."

"We provide the men with two hot meals each day, breakfast and dinner. Some of them pay a little extra, 35 cents, to have us pack them a lunch as well. We start cooking at 5:15 in the morning and breakfast is served at 6:00am." She laughs a little when she shares, "None of the men ever misses a meal and you never have to worry we've made too much food. If you set it on the table, they eat it."

Beth smiles at the little joke and Erma continues, "Dinner is served promptly at 5:30 every evening except of course, Sunday. No one has ever missed the evening meal either, it's part of what they pay for. Room and board." She smiles again and says, "you'll set the table and carry the food in, along with coffee and water. When the men are done you clear the table and do dishes."

"You have your choice of eating your meal before they eat, there's a table in the kitchen, or after they're done. If you want to eat after their meals it's best you fix your plate ahead of time and leave it in the kitchen. They're not inclined to leave any leftovers."

"You and I will take our lunch at noon each day except Sunday. Sometimes Mister Dale will be joining us but he's usually out walking." Then she looks around conspiratorially and admits, "He always says he's out walking but I know where he really goes. The young man down the street bought himself an old broken down automobile and my husband can't help himself, he's got be down there every day helping the boy tinker with it."

Beth smiles and Erma holds out a hand, "Come, I'll show you the house."

Beth walks a few paces behind as the older woman leads her through the house. The next room is something of a sitting room, there are shelves lined with books, a small piano, two wing back chairs and a fireplace. Beth asks, "Do you play piano Miss Erma?"

"No, not anymore. The arthritis just won't allow it. Do you play?"

"Yes ma'am, my mother taught me. I played at church back home."

"Oh how nice, perhaps you'll agree to play for us sometime!"

Next is the dining room where there's a huge, heavy looking table with ten big chairs. There's a breakfront full of China and a sideboard. Beth points to the breakfront and asks, "Are those the dishes we use? They're so lovely."

"Yes, that's right dear, and the linens are stored in the drawers below. If the men don't make too big a mess of the cloth at breakfast, I just spot clean it and use it again for their dinner. I don't think any of them has ever noticed, nor would they care much if they did." She softly chuckles as they walk through to the kitchen.

Everything about the kitchen is large, not just the space. The pots and pans hanging from the big rack above the stove are not a household size, they're too big. They must be restaurant size. There are expansive counters, huge crocks marked flour and sugar, and a large coffee mill.

The refrigerator is oversized as well and it all makes sense, a household sized simply wouldn't be large enough for so many. Erma tells her, "There's a second, smaller refrigerator and a freezer in the mudroom at the back. Otherwise I'd be at the store every other day." Everything seems so modern. Real refrigeration. Beth has only known ice boxes at the farm and at her Uncle's place.

The stove is breathtaking. It's got to be almost brand new it's so shiny and modern, it doesn't use wood for fuel, it's electric. There are eight burners, four oven doors and a stay warm compartment. She's a little intimidated by it, and also anxious to cook on such a masterpiece.

Miss Erma explains, "The men all occupy bedrooms upstairs and there's a bathroom they share. You'll go up every other day, after they've left for work of course, to freshen the bathroom and vacuum the hall. On Friday mornings they leave their used bed linens and towels outside their doors and you'll collect them after they leave for work, leaving each of them a fresh set."

Her hands go to her hips as she explains, "You can't offer, but should a man ask you to make up his bed and clean his room for him, then you may if you choose to. You musn't enter his room when he's home, you wait until he's gone to work. Remember, you are no one's servant. You charge no less than 50 cents. I'm not able to do the extra work anymore and I know a few of them miss the service," she pats Beth's hand and smiles, "that would be your money to keep as long as it doesn't interfere with your regular work."

"Yes ma'am. Thank You." Her mind is already working, maybe she can make an extra dollar or two a week. That would be wonderful. What if she made enough to buy a new winter coat? Oh my. But she shouldn't count her chickens before they hatch.

She realizes Miss Erma is speaking again, "…and so we don't mind if you keep company with a young man, however you may not accept any invitations from the men living here. It's best not to mix work and romance."

Beth's cheeks flush as she answers, "Yes ma'am." She never even considered a suitor, but then maybe she might meet someone at church. No, no surely that won't happen.

"And we would have rules. I feel we should, after all, my dear friend has entrusted us with your well-being. If you should accept an invitation from a young man, we'll want to meet him and we'll expect you home from any dates no later than 10 P.M."

"Yes ma'am." She's sure she'd have trouble keeping her eyes open that late.

Finally they continue their tour. "Just beyond the kitchen is where you'll be staying. This first doorway on the right is where Mr. Horvath and I have our private sitting area and bedroom." She opens the door opposite theirs and says, "This is the bathroom the three of us will share."

Beth smiles, "It's very nice." And it is. She's never had indoor plumbing and she can't quite believe what she's seeing. Besides the toilet there's a huge bathtub and big porcelain sink with a mirror above it, a full dresser and a full-length standing mirror. Rural America has yet to see such modern conveniences.

"Well I'm glad you like it." The woman walks in and pulls one of the dresser drawers open, "I'll clear this drawer out for you to keep your bath things."

"Thank you ma'am." She doesn't have much to put in it, a bar of soap, some shampoo, toothpowder, toothbrush, her hairbrush and a few hairpins. But maybe she'll get that lavender soap.

"Of course Dear, and now let me show you what would be your room. It's right this way."

Some might look at the room and think it isn't much, that it's small and a little cramped. Beth thinks it's glorious. There's a single bed with a pretty and soft-looking white chenille bedspread, and what looks to be a soft fluffy pillow. Next to it is a tiny night table with a lamp, there's a three-drawer bureau with a mirror and a second lamp, and a cozy looking little chair covered in a pink floral chintz. Her own room, and it's beautiful.

"So what do you think Dear, would you like to come to work for Mr. Horvath and I?"

"Oh yes ma'am, I would very much."

"Oh I'm so pleased. Olivia had such wonderful things to say about you. You go on and unpack then and wash up. We're going to have to start getting dinner ready in 30 minutes."

"Yes ma'am."

It doesn't take her five minutes to unpack. The last thing she does is set her family portrait on the dresser as she quietly whispers, "I'm going to be just fine Mama and Daddy."

Over the next two weeks she gets in a routine, and her routine involves a lot of work. It seems like she no sooner gets done fixing one meal and cleaning up, then it's time to start another. But the men make her feel proud of the work she does, they're always so pleasant and grateful.

Miss Erma urged her to play that first night and now it's become a part of the dinner meal. Each night as soon as she gets the men's food on the table she plays piano and sings while they eat. At first she felt so nervous and embarrassed, but now that she knows them a little better, and they all treat her so kindly she enjoys playing as much as they enjoy listening.

She has three men whose rooms she makes up for them each Friday. Mister Abraham, he's one of the football coaches at the University. Dr. Eugene, he has some kind of position in the science department at the University, and Mister Aaron, he's the accountant at a big hotel downtown.

That's a whole dollar and a half more each week. After just one month she's earned enough money that she now has her necessities, new underpants, new camisoles, new socks, a pair of woolen hose for winter and the first new pair of shoes she can remember having in such a long time. She's also enjoyed a glass of lemonade at the drugstore each week, purchased three rolls of Lifesavers, Lavender soaps and fancy shampoo made just for ladies.

Miss Erma has invited her to use her sewing machine and Beth has purchased the yard goods to make herself two new dresses. Not anything fancy, she has no use for fancy. She only wants everyday dresses for work, ones that aren't threadbare.

All that's left on her list is a warm winter coat and maybe even a new sweater, then she can send Daddy money and start saving. Saving for what? She's not quite sure, but she's sure it's a good idea to save. Like most folks these days she doesn't trust banks, she keeps her bit of money wrapped in a handkerchief and tucked in the drawer beneath her underwear.

On days when Miss Erma's arthritis is flaring up and she can't do much, Beth's work is a little harder. She's not one to complain though. She's so grateful for everything she has, she never dreamed someday she'd have so many new things.

* * *

It's late Saturday morning and Mister and Mrs. Horvath are at the grocers while Beth's busy in the kitchen. She's just put the frosting on two cakes, a cherry chip and a chocolate. One is for tonight's dessert and the other for Sunday's afternoon meal. There will be no cooking on Sunday, it's the Lord's day. She's already made the afternoon meal for Sunday, a tray of cold meats, breads, a potato salad and succotash. All will be put on the table at one o'clock, along with the cake, water and a pitcher of sweet tea.

For now, as soon as she's done cleaning the kitchen she can have her bath and go into city. She doesn't have any particular reason to go really, it's just an opportunity to get out and walk around. She'll be off work until Monday morning. Well except she always helps put the Sunday breakfast and afternoon meal out, she doesn't mind and she knows Miss Erma appreciates the help.

She's feeling a little melancholy as she finishes washing the last pan. Mister Jim moved out yesterday and she's going to miss him. He was always so pleasant and such a gentleman. Mr. Horvath has already rented the room to a fellow who came by last evening while she was working in the kitchen. She hasn't met the new boarder yet but she's got his room ready and she's been told he'll be moving in later this afternoon.

She's about to remove her apron when the front doorbell rings. She smooths the garment down with her hands and smooths back her damp curls as she walks to the front door. When she opens it she feels her stomach clinch a little at the sight of the man standing there.

His eyes are as blue as a flint stone and his shoulders at least a yardstick wide, and even as cold as those eyes look she could swear they're burning a hole right through her. He pulls the cap from his head, nods, "Miss," and says, "I'm the new boarder, Daryl Dixon."

00

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's our start. I hope you enjoyed it and that you'll leave a comment. This story will post each Friday, and next week we'll find out just who this new boarder, Daryl Dixon is. I hope you'll check back in. Until then stay safe and well and remember, I love ya large! xo gneebee


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the comments, kudos and bookmarks. I appreciate it all very much. This chapter we're going to learn about Daryl Dixon, the man he is, where he's been and why he's moving into Horvath's Boarding House. Our couple will have some interaction and...well I hope you enjoy!

00

Hard times? Daryl Dixon has seen plenty of those in his 28 years.

For him they began while he was still in the cradle and were mostly courtesy of his old man, a mean bastard who escalated that meanness by pouring down plenty of hooch. The more Will Dixon drank the more he seemed to enjoy taking his anger out on his wife and sons.

They should have left the bastard. Hell, Mama should have left before Daryl was ever born. But he didn't fault her for staying or for the things his Daddy did to them. He guessed she was probably too scared or too far gone herself to break free.

As for his brother Merle, ten years Daryl's senior, he had his own way of coping with all of it. His way was to run off and do his own share of drinking, and he mostly stayed gone.

The biggest lesson Daryl Dixon learned in those early years was to keep his mouth shut. He tried his best not to be heard or seen, it was the surest way to avoid his Daddy's wrath so keeping quiet became a habit that would carry through to his adult life.

The other thing he learned was how to survive in the hills around where he grew up. He'd take nothing with him but a rusty old carving knife and the will to survive up in those hills and stay for days. By the time he was ten years old he could make his own shelter, find his own food and have a damn good time doing both.

Still, life was pretty damn miserable, but then in those hills where they lived it seemed everyone was just naturally pretty damn miserable. Folks didn't seem to have anything to be happy about and never anything to look forward to. Just more poverty, hunger and desperation.

Daryl saw his opportunity to break free in April of 1917 when the United States joined with its allies in World War I. Even though at 15 years of age he was far too young to join the army and go to war, he knew he had to take his chance to get out. The army wanted soldiers and they didn't seem to be all that diligent about checking papers, turning a blind eye to many a forged birth certificate. Daryl knew plenty of the fellas he served with weren't much older than him.

Like all wars it was brutal. Young men were sent to do the fighting and the front lines often looked like a bunch of kids killing other kids. It got worse when that damn Spanish flu went through the ranks and so many more young soldiers died.

When the virus brought Daryl down they sent him off to one of those outdoor field hospitals. He never did get too sick, not like a lot of guys did, and he didn't stay sick for too long. As soon as he was a little better they sent him right back to the front, he didn't mind. He didn't buck up against orders, he did his duty and he fought the fight. He was afraid if he didn't they'd send him back home.

By the time 1920 rolled around the war and the flu were both done killing young men and Daryl Dixon was done with the army. He was 18 years old and in his young life he'd already seen more than most folks see in a lifetime.

With the end of the war came big changes for Daryl. He knew it was going to be tough getting work, he didn't have much education and no job skills. He had plenty of skills, they just weren't job skills. He could track damn near anything or anyone, he was a deadeye shot with a gun or a bow, he could even throw a knife with precision. He knew how to make beer and hooch, pick a lock, or start up an automobile that didn't belong to him.

None of those things was going to help get him a legitimate job.

Good news came by way of a buddy he served with. They'd gotten to be pretty good pals; both had been raised in the hills and neither ever had much of the good things life has to offer. It just so happened though; this guys' Uncle was some kind of big wheel with the City of Atlanta. The Uncle was able to get both young men an apprentice position with the City's Water and Sewer Department.

Him and his buddy shared a good laugh about being a couple of yokels, fellas who'd never even had running water or an indoor toilet, being hired for this type of work. His buddy went to work in sewage control, and Daryl got a position on the drinking water side of city water.

It wasn't like Daryl would ever choose to live in Atlanta or any other city for that matter. But he was smart enough and hungry enough to know, where you want to be and where the work is aren't always the same. When a man needs a job he can't worry about the scenery.

Besides, at least with a job working in operations he got to be outdoors some. It seemed pretty much every day there were repairs or maintenance needed in some part of town, and there were also several neighborhoods still recovering from the big Atlanta fire of 1917. Rebuilding and new construction required water and sewer lines.

Mostly Daryl just appreciated having the work and he worked hard.

00

Back when they first started work with the city him and his army buddy rented a place together. Daryl didn't mind sharing with the guy because they were both the type to mostly keep to themselves. They had small needs too, the only things either of them really wanted were things neither had ever had before, a room of their own and indoor plumbing.

They found those things in an old house that had been converted into two apartments. It wasn't Daryl's idea of anyplace he'd want to live permanently, but for the time being all he cared about was the fact the rent was low and he could start saving money.

It's now seven years later, 1927, and he's still living in that apartment with his buddy and still saving money. It's important to him to always have a secret stash of money tucked away. He knows what extreme poverty looks and feels like, and now with the Great Depression poverty is visible everywhere. He spent the first half of his life being desperately poor and hungry, he never wants to go back to that.

Then one Saturday morning everything changes for Daryl again. He's out driving around without any particular destination. He's got a fishing pole and a bow and quiver in the back of his panel truck, and his only plan is to see what the day brings.

He's in no hurry, he's just motoring along and if you were to ask him he'd tell you he's driven by that same spot on the highway a hundred times, but not until this time does he see something he's never noticed. It looks like it could be a road. Its brush covered and well-hidden and he's curious. He doubles back around to have a better look and by golly, he sees that it is a small side road.

He decides why not? He isn't going anywhere anyway, might as well see where it leads. He's moving slow on the rough and rock filled road, taking in all there is to see along the way and although the trees and foliage are dense, he manages to spot something off in the distance.

It's tucked away in a cluster of trees, bushes and vines and he feels himself grin when he realizes what it is, a ramshackle old house. Instantly he's drawn to the little place and the feeling is so odd to him it's almost frightening, and so powerful it nearly overwhelms him. It's the sudden and undeniable understanding that he belongs right there. This place, this ground.

He's never been one to just barge in on folks, it must be that he's not thinking clearly because he finds himself shutting off the ignition, stepping out of his truck and walking toward the rundown house.

There's an older man sitting in a chair on the small front porch with a pipe in his mouth, a shotgun resting across his lap and an old dog lying next to him. The dog barely lifts his head, as if he can't be bothered. He half opens one eye, has a look at the intruder and lays his head back down.

The old fella looks at the stranger and asks, "You ain't one a them revenuers are ya? I told the last bunch I ain't here makin' shine. This is my home."

Daryl extends his arms, palms facing out to show he's no threat, "No, no sir, I sure ain't no revenuer. I just happened ta see the road and I come up here outta curiosity. I'm glad I did, ya got ya a real pretty piece a ground here."

"I do. This here's the best land in Georgia. Got me five acres and a natural spring well with the sweetest water ya ever tasted."

Daryl's looking around, taking in as much as he can, "You're a lucky man. I'd like ta have me a place just like it. Close enough ta town I could get ta my job, but it feels like a million miles out."

"You in the market ta buy a place, Sonny?"

Daryl shrugs, "Hadn't thought about it." He's thinking about it plenty right now, but he doesn't want to tip his hand, "Why? Ya sellin'?"

"I don't wanna, that's for damn sure. It's the Missus whose forcin' it on me. Our girl married a fella from up in Appalachia and now that he's got her in the family way, my woman thinks we gotta be up there close to her." He laughs, spits, wipes the back of his hand across his mouth and adds, "I guess I think so too cuz I told her, 'alright Mama, I'll sell.' I just ain't got around ta lettin' it be known yet."

Daryl ventures the question, "Whaddya thinkin' of askin' for the place?"

"It's a steal, just twenty-five hundred bucks."

Daryl's been living in the city seven years now, he knows what things cost and he knows that's no steal. For that kind of money he could buy 10 acres with a decent house on it. He doesn't argue though, not yet. Instead he asks, "Can I have a look around?"

The old man's fighting a grin thinking he's going to get twenty-five hundred bucks, "Sure thing, I'll show ya the inside n then we can walk the property line."

They walk in the door and Daryl almost gets sick to his stomach. It's too much like that damn shack they lived in when he was a kid. Square and rickety, everything falling apart and the place stinks. He tells himself none of that matters. He can gut the place, it's the land not the house he wants.

The whole place consists of one large room. That's it. There's a small kitchen area, no back porch, no plumbing of any kind, not even a hand pump for water at the sink. No back porch. It's like a start that has no finish. And he knows he could finish it.

The old man seems pretty proud, "Besides that spring water it's got septic ready ta go. By the time I got that put in I run outta money for a proper kitchen n bathroom."

Daryl nods, it seems like a backward plan, why not the running water first? But then what's there to say to it? A man can only do his best with what he's got and the sense God gave him. Besides, right now Daryl doesn't care about all that, he wants to walk the land.

The dog decides to trail along behind them and for some reason that makes Daryl smile, someday he'd like to have himself a good dog.

The old guy doesn't move real fast and it takes a while to walk the property line of the nearly perfectly square five acres. All of it is almost as dense with trees and foliage as where the house is located, except for the pond. When Daryl's eyes land on it he damn near yells out, "Sold!" But he manages to play it a lot closer to the vest than that.

In addition to trees and bushes, there's a nice grassy area by the pond with colorful wildflowers, the sun is causing the water to sparkle and the sky is cloudless and bright blue, and all of those things together make it look and feel like paradise to him. Daryl wants it bad, but he's still able to keep up his matter-of-fact attitude, "Any fish in that pond?"

"You bet, they're real good eatin' too."

"So, you got a bona fide deed ta this place Mister?"

"Yessir I do. I got a copy back at the cabin and you can verify it at the county."

Daryl makes his counteroffer, "You want cash? I got 1,500 dollars cash I can give ya Monday, right after I do some checkin' on that deed."

"I told ya, 2,500 dollars."

"Ya know damn good n well 2,500 dollars is too much."

"2,000?"

Ah, the old man's ready to bargain, "1,600 dollars cash money."

"Done."

"Done."

They shake hands, both thinking they made a good deal, and that's that. At least as far as the deal can go this day.

On his lunch break Monday Daryl checks out the county records, sure enough the old man owns the five acres free and clear. The lady there explains to him what he needs to do to legally transfer the title, he gives her a dollar and she gives him the papers he'll need. He thanks her for all the help and right after work that Monday he gets his money.

He doesn't keep it in the bank, he doesn't keep it under the mattress, he doesn't keep it in his boot. He keeps it buried. When he gets home from work he opens the closet door in his room, gets down on his knees and just as he does every payday, he carefully and methodically pulls up the planks of the wood floor. Then he digs with the small hand shovel until he hits the top of the metal box.

It's a green ammo box he may or may not have swiped from the army. He pulls the box up, opens the lock and inside there's a sealed Ball jar. He gets $1,600 out of the jar for the land and another $200.00 for building materials. He slides all the cash down the shaft of his boot, feeling grateful he's been saving his money the past seven years.

00

Over the course of the next three years the place keeps him busy and that doesn't bother him at all.

The first thing he does is clear some of the trees, vines and brush that were growing right up close to and even on the house. It's not that he doesn't like the overgrown look of it, but since seeing the aftermath of the big Atlanta fire he can't think of a good reason to keep fuel growing next to what will soon be his home.

When the clearing is done he begins to make his building plans. He doesn't need much and at first he only thinks to rebuild the existing house. He'll shore it up, bring in running water, get a decent sink in the kitchen area, frame a bathroom in the corner and get the septic hooked up.

Things change when he sits to draw up his plan. It's another one of those powerful feelings, so powerful it shakes him and so does what he suddenly envisions. The house he sees in his mind's eye is so different than his original idea.

He works this new idea over and over in his mind. Why wouldn't he build the kind of place he sees in his mind's eye? He's never had much of anything in life he called his own, just his tools and his panel truck. And now, dammit, he has the best piece of ground anywhere. A place he feels so strongly is right where he's meant to be, and not just for the time being. This is where he's meant to live out his life.

He draws up a new plan, then he gets busy.

He shores up what's already there, gives it a good cleaning and that's already a major improvement. He sections off the one big room into two, a good-sized parlor and a seating area. He's not sure what he needs a seating area for, but something tells him he should have one.

He adds a doorway that leads from the seating area to what will be the kitchen. He wants it square and plenty roomy. Why? There's only him, why would he need so much? He doesn't know but he can't shake the feeling and he's given up on trying. The old boy left a crusted over wood-burning cookstove and an equally nasty icebox behind. He aims to clean them up good as new. It'll be a project he can work on days when it's too rainy to work outside.

Over the course of time he gets it all framed, along with two good sized bedrooms. He has no idea why a man living on his own needs two bedrooms, but again, he's not fighting the feeling. Who's to say? Maybe someday Merle will show up and need a place to stay.

He puts in a big bathroom, this he does for himself because he doesn't just want a tub, he wants one of those showers. That'd be a good thing to have when he's gotten real dirty at work or out hunting.

He makes the front porch bigger, and at the back end of the house he adds a combination mud room and storage for his hunting and fishing equipment. He even leaves a spot just in case someday he decides to get a washing machine. Then he adds on a nice back porch.

When he thinks about the size of it, the work he's done and the money he's spent on materials, he shakes his head in wonder. What does a man like him need with so much house? He must be out of his ever-loving mind. Shit, he can almost hear what Merle would say if he came by. If he told his brother about the powerful feeling and the vision Merle would laugh until he got sick, then beat Daryl to a bloody pulp for being an idiot.

* * *

1930 rolls around and he's still not done with the place. He only has Saturdays and Sundays to work on it and it's just him. Still, it's framed in, the floors are in, the bathroom and kitchen are roughed in, the roof is on. It's the inside finish work that remains to be completed. He has it figured at another year and that will be that. He'll have what is essentially a brand new house, one that he built for himself and by himself on a piece of ground he feels sure he was always destined to live on. After three years he's getting mighty close. He's even starting to imagine himself living there.

For now he's still living with his buddy, and then that suddenly changes. Daryl gets home late Sunday afternoon after working on his place and the guy tells him the news. He's gotten his Sweetheart in the family way. He says he loves her and he aims to do the right thing by her and their baby. "Gonna have ta get married and find us a place of our own I s'pose."

Daryl shakes his head, "Nah, you two stay right here. I'm the one who should go. I only got me ta worry bout, you're gonna have a whole family ta take care of 'fore long."

They sit at the kitchen table each with a bottle of beer, beer they made and bottled right in that kitchen just three weeks earlier, and they talk it all over. The fella mentions the idea of a boarding house, "You wouldn't have anythin' ta take care of and the livin' is easy. You got a furnished room, they do all the shoppin' and cookin', shit, we probably shoulda moved in one a them places a long time ago."

The idea of living in a house with a bunch of other folks doesn't sit right with Daryl. On the other hand, it's cheaper than renting a house or apartment and he'd have his meals. Not a thing to worry about other than paying his weekly fee. Besides, it won't be long and he'll be out and living in his own place.

Right after the dinner hour on Friday evening he pays a call at two boarding houses he's heard about. The first doesn't feel right. There are families living there and he'd feel out of place. At the second house the proprietor tells him it's all men living there. That sounds better, and when he tells the fella he won't be eating Saturday dinner or Sunday meals, the owner gives him a little discount off the weekly fee.

That encourages him to take a chance and ask something else, "How bout if I's ta get ya a deer when I'm out huntin', would I get a discount then?"

The proprietor is beaming, "You sure would son. You bring me a deer and butcher it and I'll give you a week for free. I'll make you a good deal for rabbit, fish and game birds too."

Daryl plans to take the guy up on that offer.

It's not like he can't afford the full fee. After ten years with the city water department he's seen his hard work pay off. It's not just the $24.61 he makes every week, he's also managed to work himself into a real good position. He's respected, he has knowledge of how every single thing in the main plant works and he's considered valuable. The city furloughed plenty of fellas when the economy went down the hopper, but he still has his job.

* * *

Saturday morning comes and it's so damn hot and steamy out it's like a person can't even breathe. What's worse is he hates giving up a Saturday to move, but it's got to be done.

Daryl doesn't plan on taking much, he'll leave most everything for the newlyweds except for his bedroom furniture. It'll be nice having a real bed to sleep in on the weekends when he's working at his place.

He's also got a bureau, two night tables and a radio. Then he realizes, even if he had electricity he probably couldn't get radio reception out that way. Maybe though. He does have plans to eventually get one of those steam generators for electricity and just maybe he can figure out a way to rig an antenna.

His buddy helps him and they get Daryl's bedroom furniture out to his place, along with his hunting and fishing things and most of his clothes. He notices it feels a little cooler there without the city concrete and the asphalt letting off even more heat. All the shade trees are making a difference too.

When they're done setting furniture in the bedroom the men wish each other luck, shake hands and promise to get together for a beer real soon. Once his buddy heads home Daryl washes up a little and makes his way to town and the boarding house. He won't be moving much in there, just one box and his fan. The box has the clothes he'll need for work, his bathroom things and tucked in between it all, a handgun. A man never knows.

When he arrives at what will be his new residence he has no idea that once again, his life is about to be forever changed. He rings the front bell fully expecting the owner, Dale Horvath, to answer. He's surprised to see it's not the proprietor at all, it's a young woman. She's a fair-haired beauty with pale skin flushed pink from the heat; and the way those damp curls are framing her face, he's not sure how a man puts words to it, but that look does something to him.

He's like any fella, he enjoys laying eyes on a fine looking woman, and Atlanta's got its fair share of pretty women. This woman though, she's not like those fancy made-up gals. The way she looks is far more appealing. Her lashes are long and fluttery, her eyes big and blue. Pretty. Damn she's so pretty. It's not just that she's a looker though, there's something else about this woman. There’s just something about her that goes right to the heart.

He realizes he's probably staring but he can't seem to stop. Finally he manages to compose himself enough to give her his name and tell her why he's there.

She wonders why in the world she's so mortified. He's just the new boarder, that's all. No. He's a handsome new boarder with a strong, masculine build and very defined, very manly facial features. Those eyes, yes it's his eyes. That's what's making it so hard for her to concentrate and to speak. "Oh, um, let me see. Um…"

He's worried that for some reason he's upset her, or worse, scared her. He asks, "I wasn't sure whether I's s'posed ta come ta the front or go round ta the side."

Thank heaven above, she's found her tongue. "Um, yes, the backstairs are through the side entrance. Come, I'll show you."

She walks out the front door and he dutifully follows her as she leads him around to the side of the house. He already knows the way but he doesn't bother to tell her. Walking behind her now he sees how small and dainty she is and it makes him feel big and clumsy in comparison.

It's a little easier for her to talk now that he's not looking at her face. She's also thinking more clearly and feels she should explain, "Of course there's no restriction, you're welcome to use the front door. I just thought…it's just that most of the men seem to prefer coming in and out the side entrance. The backstairs are right through the side door entry and they lead directly to the rooms. At the other end of the hallway are the main stairs, you can take those down to the dining and parlor rooms."

She's talking fast and her voice is trembling and why does that make him feel guilty? He hasn't spoken or behaved inappropriately with her and yet he feels like he's to blame. He doesn't want to upset her so he tries to say the right thing, even though he has no idea what that could possibly be, "That's fine. I'll probably be parkin' my truck round the side anyway."

"Oh." For goodness sake, what in the world is the matter with her? Has she lost her senses along with her ability to speak?

She begins to reach for the doorknob at the side entry door, but he's already leaning around her and his hand grasps the knob first. As he pushes the door open he quietly says, "Here, lemme get that for ya." He's completely unaware the small gesture has nearly taken her breath away, he only knows it felt real good to be so close to her. "I'ma just go back ta the truck and get my box of things and take it on up. Thank you Miss, um, Miss…"

She swallows hard and manages to say, "Beth, my name is Beth."

He isn't one to ask questions of women but he's curious about who this one is exactly, "Are ya Mr. Horvath's daughter or granddaughter?"

"Oh no sir, I'm not family. I'm just the hired girl."

He smiles, nah, she's a lot more than just a hired girl, "Okay Miss Beth, and my name ain't Sir. I'm just Daryl."

She looks at him and he looks at her and something powerful passes between them, neither has any idea what it is but they both feel a warmth in their hearts and in their bodies, a warmth that has nothing to do with the weather.

It's she who finally turns her eyes away, looking down she breaks the spell and in a nervous and quiet voice says, "It's nice to meet you Mister Daryl." She apologizes, "I'm sorry I can't take you upstairs and show you your room. I'm not allowed to be up there when the men are home. It's room number eight. I just made it up yesterday afternoon so it's nice and fresh for you." She remembers then, "Oh yes, and Mr. Horvath gave me your room key in case you came while he was out."

She dips her hand in her apron pocket, pulls out the key and as she hands it to him she realizes, his room is the one directly above her room.

00

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now we know who Daryl Dixon is and there seems to be an instant attraction between the new boarder and Beth. Please leave me a comment with your thoughts. I'll be back next Friday with another chapter of The Stranger Upstairs and I hope you'll be here too! Until then remember, I love ya large! xo gneebee


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gosh, thank you all so much! Our couple seem to have a very strong attraction, now what are they thinking and feeling? Let's find out.

00

Beth's nerves are jangled, her tummy is doing flips and her hands are shaking. She's afraid to speak, she isn't even sure what she would say if she could speak, so she simply nods her head and hurries off.

For some reason he just can't seem to take his eyes off her. He stands quietly watching until she completely disappears around the front of the house. It's probably for the best, she might faint at the knowledge his eyes never left her.

Once inside she finally takes a breath, and what she does next convinces her she's lost what's left of her mind. No one is even there to witness her actions and yet she's red-faced, embarrassed and ashamed of herself. Although, none of those feelings of guilt prevent her from taking the action.

She goes to the window in the dining room and stands off to the side, attempting to hide as she watches him. Every move he makes, no matter how simple or ordinary it might be, seems so manly and…well, she's not sure what it is about Daryl Dixon. She only knows that watching him has her heart beating faster.

He opens the baker style back doors of a panel truck and lifts out a large square box. He holds it with one hand and balanced on one forearm as if it weighs nothing at all. She can see it's cumbersome and she's sure it must be heavy, and she doesn't miss the definition of his muscles as they strain against the fabric of his shirt. She's so engrossed she's not aware that the sight of it all has her hand quickly covering her mouth as she whispers, "Oh my."

He reaches in with his free hand and lifts out a table fan. She thinks how fortunate for him that he owns such a nice appliance. Although the rooms do have ceiling fans, the upstairs gets stuffy in this heat and the fan will help him stay cooler at night.

She shakes her head as in her mind she hears her Mama's voice scolding, "and just why in the world are you concerned with this man's comfort Elizabeth Greene?"

Beth tries telling herself she's not concerned with him in any way at all. She's only trying to find out a little something about the stranger who will be sleeping right upstairs. Right above her room. That's all there is to it. Isn't that the right thing to do?

She's having a bit of trouble convincing herself.

Now both his arms are full and she watches as he pushes one of the truck doors shut with his knee, then turns and shuts the other by hitting it with his bottom. For some reason his movements have her feeling even more flustered and guilty, and there's some other feeling she's not so sure of at all as she watches him walk toward the side door.

Suddenly she's fearful, oh my goodness, what if he sees her? She can't allow that to happen, she would surely die a thousand deaths. With that thought in mind and a bothering conscience she hurries off to her room and gathers up her town dress, her clean underthings and turns to make her way to the bathroom. Then stops.

She lays her things neatly on the bed, sits down in her chair and quietly listens. Again, she tells herself what she's doing is disgraceful and again she's feeling guilty. Yet she continues to sit and listen for sounds of him, the poor man. Shame on her. Yet shame can't seem to stop her.

For such a manly sort of fellow his footfalls are surprisingly light and quiet, much more so than Mister Jim's were. She's listening intently as she hears his door close. There are sounds of him rummaging around a bit, no doubt putting his clothes away and whatnot, and now she finds herself wondering if he's the tidy type or the messy type.

Shame on her again, it's none of her business what Mister Daryl is or isn't. My goodness, when did she become such a busybody?

She shakes her head in self-disgust as she gathers her things again and quickly makes her way to the bathroom, but she doesn't miss hearing when he shuts his door and walks back down the stairs. Nor does she fail to hear him leave out the side door and start up his truck.

Hmm, well maybe he's just driving back to his former residence to get more of his things.

Once in the bathroom she shuts and locks the door, leaning her back against it and feeling oddly relieved. She didn't get caught, then she whispers to herself, "That's it Beth, the living proof. You have lost complete control of your faculties. My goodness, a handsome stranger comes to the door and you behave like a criminal."

What she needs is to fill that tub with cold water and shock herself back into her right mind.

* * *

As he's retrieving the things from the back of his truck he's wondering what the hell is wrong with him. Does he have a screw loose or something? There's no one around but he'd swear he can feel eyes on him, he wonders if it could possibly be her watching him.

That would be swell alright, but it's just wishful thinking. He shakes his head while reprimanding himself for even thinking those thoughts about the pretty hired girl, and daring to imagine she would have any interest in him and what he's doing. Although he does find he can't help accidentally spending a moment thinking of how nice it would be if she were interested in sneaking a peek at him.

Shit, what an idiot. Besides, he doesn't have time to be daydreaming about pretty women. One pretty woman. He has things to do. He's got to get back down to earth, get his things put away and get back out to his place. There are still a few hours of daylight remaining and a man can get quite a lot done in a few hours. Especially if he sets his mind on something besides small blonde women.

He enters his room and it's not bad. It's kind of like what he had at the apartment, a bed, two bedside tables and a bureau. He's also got an easy chair and a small writing desk. He grudgingly admits to himself it's nice, and even if it wasn't, he's only going to be there a few months.

As he puts his clothes away he catches himself daydreaming about her. He wonders how long Beth Greene has been working for Horvath's and where she's from. He can tell by the slower way she talks and her more pronounced drawl that although she's most assuredly from Georgia, she's no city girl. The woman is country through and through.

She probably came to the city for the same reason a lot of country folk do these days, desperation. Farms are drying up; the earth is turning hard and unforgiving and folks need work. People need to eat and to be able to feed and clothe their families. What most of them find out when they arrive is that these days the city isn't any better than the country for finding work.

He finds himself wondering if she has a family, someone she sends money home to. A husband, children. Then he scolds himself, shit why should he care if she's married? She's nothing to him, just some hired girl at this boarding house where he never wanted to be in the first place. If he has his way he won't be here long.

Besides, he doesn't have time for distractions. He has work and a place to finish, and once he gets it done his life will be pretty damn perfect. He'll have everything he needs. Hunting, fishing, open space, all of it right there on his own property. He can't think of any good reason to complicate that.

All of that may be true, but on the other hand there is one problem, she's a distraction whether he wants her to be or not. Damn, she's already occupying his mind. He needs to work harder so he can get moved to his own place even sooner than he originally planned. Just as soon as he's got the plumbing in so he can do things like shower up and be decent for work. Then he can move out of this boarding house for good.

Full of firm new resolve he quickly finishes his unpacking and hurries down the stairs. He tells himself how glad he is to be getting out of this place. Yet he finds he's also hoping he'll catch a glimpse of her as he leaves. When he has no such luck he's a little stunned by the wave of disappointment that washes over him. That's when he reprimands himself in Merle's voice, "What's the matter little brother, that tiny blonde gal already turned ya into a whooped pup?"

No dammit.

Still it happens. On the drive to his place he begins to daydream about her once again. He can see her in his mind's eye. She's standing on the edge of the pond in a yellow cotton dress with no shoes on her feet and her pretty blonde hair hanging loose. Her cheeks are pink from the sun and she's smiling so happily, and right at him. Her bright blue eyes sparkle as she giggles and asks him to please bait her hook, explaining she can't stand to touch those nasty worms.

He feels himself smiling right back and anxious to please her as he takes the pole from her hand, just before he mentally punches himself in the jaw. Shit you idiot, that ain't ever going to come about.

He's sure of it now, he's lost his damn mind.

* * *

When she's done in the bathroom she goes straight to her room and changes from her town clothes back into one of her everyday dresses. She's lost her desire to go to town, in fact she's feeling a bit glum. She breathes a quiet sigh and tries very hard not to be too honest with herself, but deep down she knows part of the reason she doesn't want to leave is, when Mister Daryl returns she wants to be there. Just to say hello.

Then she berates herself for what must be the 100th time today, is she really such a pitiful creature?

There's more to her lack of desire to visit the city than just him though. She finds Atlanta to be a wonderful place in many ways. There's a shop for everything anyone could ever want, and with the streetcar it's very convenient to get there and back home. But there are aspects of the city she doesn't find appealing at all.

There are so many people and vehicles and everything is such a mad rush. It no longer holds the same excitement it did when it was all new to her. Now it mostly feels loud and chaotic. She's actually quite grateful the boarding house isn't any closer to the city. It also happens to be true that she's already purchased every item she requires for quite some time, now she's interested in saving her money.

Lately she finds herself feeling confused about where in the world she truly belongs.

She's homesick and yet she doesn't want to go home. She's been sending money to her Daddy every week, a whole dollar. But yesterday she was missing him an awful lot and when she received her weekly pay she slipped an extra dollar in the envelop. Just in case there's something he's in need of. She loves and misses him, but she doesn't want to go back there. Not for good.

And why does she keep thinking about Mister Dixon?

She wishes there was someone she could talk to, but there's only one safe place to share all the feelings she's having. She gets her journal and pen out of the bureau drawer and begins to write.

* * *

He's working on the plumbing with renewed energy, more anxious than ever to get it completed. Soon he'll be able to start hooking things up. He has all the fixtures laying on a tarp in the parlor just waiting to be installed.

He got a real good deal on some nice ones at the salvage yard. A lot of the stuff there is useless, but if a fella's willing to look through a couple acres of junk he's liable to find a treasure.

After the big fire many of the city's structures that weren't burned to the ground still had too much damage to ever be livable again. That gave the owner of a local salvage business, a fellow named Axel, an idea. He made a deal with the city to haul off any items that could possibly be reused and move them to his junkyard. The promise being that if they should happen to sell, he'd pay the city 10% of what he made. Since the building owners had already received insurance money, everyone was satisfied.

Daryl would have preferred common white fixtures but he can live with the ones he got. Besides, he couldn't very well pass up such a good deal. They're brand new and the price was a fraction of what he'd pay for new ones, and anyway, pale yellow isn't such a terrible color. He does wonder though, who the hell deliberately wants a colored toilet? They probably came out of a hotel or some rich person's house.

Anyway, they'll do. The sink is wide and deep and the tub is plenty big enough for a man to soak in. The toilet will be just fine as soon as he installs a new flapper and tank lever. Fully functional. What else matters?

For now he's working outside. He has been since he got to the place today. He's busy soldering the copper pipe that leads from the well and will eventually connect to the plumbing he's put under the house. Most plumbers would use galvanized steel or even cast iron, but he worries they'll eventually corrode or leech. Besides, it just so happened there was a lot of copper pipe at the salvage yard.

When he gets the plumbing hooked up he'll be able to get fresh water in the house, he's anxious for that. He's sick of hauling water in buckets. He'll still have the waste lines to complete, but at least there's an end in sight.

He's been at it steady but now the sunlight is beginning to fade. He's trying to get just a little more done before he loses the light completely.

The work he's doing is the sort that doesn't require a great deal of thought, maybe that's the reason he finds himself daydreaming again. But not about the usual stuff. When he's working his mind usually wanders to thoughts of fishing and hunting, like remembering past adventures or planning new ones. That's not the case this late afternoon.

He finds his mind going back to his earlier daydream of her at the pond. She sure looked pretty in the yellow dress he imagined her in, and she sure has pretty yellow hair. He wonders what she'd think of the yellow bathroom fixtures. The he cusses himself, "Shit, you're a damn idiot. It don't matter, she ain't ever gonna see em. Keep your mind offa her n on your work."

He manages to do just that, at least for the next few minutes, then hunger begins to gnaw at his belly. He doesn't want to stop what he's doing to eat, he wants to burn up the last of the daylight before he quits. Besides, dinner isn't anything to look forward to, it'll just do it's job and get him full. He'll be lighting a fire, opening a big can of beans and dumping those along with some salted meat in a pot. He'll eat corn straight from the can, and have white bread and jam for dessert.

He wonders what she's cooking the men for dinner tonight. And then he wonders exactly who these men are. He only saw one of them, a big redheaded fella named Abraham who seemed friendly enough, but they only passed in the hall and only spoke long enough to introduce themselves.

He doesn't even know his brow has creased as it suddenly occurs to him, she's living in a house full of single men. She's so pretty there have to be several of those fellas who find her as attractive as he does. He wonders, does she sit with them to take her meals? Does she visit with them in the parlor in the evenings?

Shit, why does he care? It doesn't make one bit of difference what she does or doesn't choose to do. He's busy with his own life.

* * *

She's supposed to be off work and relaxing but how can she do that while Miss Erma is doing all the work alone? She and Mister Horvath have been so good to Beth and she really doesn't mind helping.

She'll never forget how nice it felt that first Sunday when she attended church with them. She'd been so nervous and overwhelmed to be in a new place full of people she didn't know, but after services Miss Erma held her hand as they introduced her to their friends. The couple never said, "This is our hired girl, or this is the help." They said, "This is Miss Beth Greene. She's been kind enough to agree to help us at the boarding house, isn't that lovely?"

Her thoughts lead her to wonder if the new boarder attends church, oh my, she's being so silly. She has to stop wasting her time thinking of him, besides it's shameful to spend so much time thinking of a man, and just plain ridiculous. Anyway, she's busy.

She's setting the dinner table when Mister Horvath walks through the dining room on his way to the parlor. He stops to tell her, "don't bother to set a place for the new boarder. He won't be taking Saturday evening meals with us nor either meal on Sundays."

"Oh. Yes, of course. Thank you for letting me know." She wants so badly to ask why that is, but it's not her business to ask and anyway she shouldn't care.

Then her heart sinks when the reason occurs to her. Oh my goodness of course, he's a married man. Just like Mister Jim.

It was Mister Jim himself who told her the story. When the bank where he was employed failed, he was without income or resources and soon lost his home as well. He moved his wife and children to the home of her Mama and Daddy in Albany, but the only work he could find was as a bus driver in Atlanta. He would stay at the boarding house during the week and every Friday night he would take the bus to Albany to see his family, not returning until late Sunday. Just last week he was finally able to transfer his route down to Albany and join his family at the home of his wife's parents.

She decides it has to be the very the same type of circumstance for the new boarder. Mister Daryl must spend his weekends with his wife and children. After all, he moved in very few possessions. And besides, it only makes sense that a man as strong and handsome as him would have a wife and children.

With that realization she feels such a deep sadness in her heart. She doesn't fully understand her feelings. She only knows that never has she been so attracted to another human being.

She tries to remedy her sadness by applying common sense. She reminds herself, "You don't even know this man Beth. He's a stranger and you have no idea what sort of person he is."

She's so bothered she's happy to have the distraction of helping with dinner, and after the men have eaten she insists on doing the clean up. Miss Erma then stipulates, "Beth, Dear. I can't let you work all the time. I'm going to pay you extra this week."

"Oh no Miss Erma, you already do so much for me. You've allowed me the use of your sewing machine and access to all of your wonderful books. And it's because of you I've met so many nice folks at church. I was so happy when you mentioned to the preacher that I play piano and sing, I'd missed participating in services. You and Mister Horvath have been so wonderful to me and I love my home here."

Miss Erma gives her a hug and smiles, "Well it seems we've both been blessed." In spite of protests, when the end of the week comes Beth will find an extra dollar and a fifty-cent piece in her pay envelop.

Although work on Sunday is forbidden, the preacher has suggested that during these hot summer months the Lord pardons believers if they do certain chores such as dishes, because to leave them until Monday could encourage vermin. So, Sunday afternoon when the men are done with their meal Beth washes the dishes and puts them away, grateful that at least there are no dirty pots and pans. Her hands are becoming so red and chapped they're painful.

She's promised herself the remainder of the day will be only for rest. She retrieves the book she's reading from her room. She's just begun it and she's already quite fascinated and anxious to read more. It's called _The Black Arrow: A Tale of the Two Roses_ and was written by the great poet Robert Louis Stevenson. Mister Horvath told her it's an historical adventure to which Miss Erma added, "With quite a share of Romance."

It's the usual evening and Sunday afternoon habit for the men to either sit on the upstairs balcony while some smoke cigarettes and all tell stories, or gather in the parlor to read and listen to the radio.

Beth prefers to spend these times outside, sitting on the front porch steps where she can be alone and get lost in her story, taking only the occasional break to close her eyes and enjoy the Sunday quiet or gaze up at the blue and cloudless sky. It's a pleasant reminder of life in the country.

This afternoon she once again finds her mind wandering, and once again it wanders to thoughts of him. Something has changed though. She's no longer embarrassed by her thoughts, instead they make her sad. There's even a tear in her eye because she can no longer deny the truth to herself, she has a fascination with Daryl Dixon and nothing can ever come of it.

* * *

What the hell is wrong with him? He's nearly driven himself crazy with thoughts of her and they don't even know each other. Shit, that didn't seem to stop him from dreaming of her last night. What's worse, it was the sort of dream he shouldn't have been having about such a sweet young woman. Dammit.

He woke up sweaty, frustrated and angry with himself, and not at all in the mood to work on his place. It doesn't matter though, the work needs doing and that's that.

His mood is foul as he opens a can of peaches for breakfast, causing him to cuss again. He's getting sick and tired of canned everything. He needs to get this damn place done so he can take the time to cook himself a decent meal. He eats the fruit with the last of his bread and jam, drinks a mug of coffee and starts his day.

He works until it's noon straight up before deciding enough is enough. He needs to release some tension. He puts his tools away, straightens up his things and pronounces the workday done.

He grabs his bow and the quiver of arrows and sets out to find a rabbit for his afternoon meal. He has luck almost immediately. He quickly skins and dresses out the animal, threads a branch through it and builds a small fire, finally starting to relax a little as he sits and cooks his lunch on the makeshift spit.

After the meal is consumed he decides to get his pole, why not? That's just what he needs, to walk the property for a few minutes and work out the knots in his muscles, then an hour or two at the pond fishing. He doesn't even care whether or not he catches anything, but it turns out he does, six real nice ones. It won't be enough for a dinner meal but hopefully Miz Horvath and Miss Beth can use them for something, he isn't even concerned about getting anything off the price of his room. Not for six fish he enjoyed catching.

He cleans the fish and puts them in a burlap bag, then washes himself up as best he can. He locks up the house, makes sure his fires are out and douses them with water just to be sure. He's set to go.

He notices he's driving a little fast as he heads back to town, and he's even smiling as he goes. This turned out to be a good weekend in spite of it all. He got quite a bit done on the place and even did a little fishing. Those things aren't the only ones causing him to smile, he's also looking forward to seeing a certain blonde woman.

He's no longer sorry for his thoughts of her. He's resigned himself to a few things, including admitting to himself he's attracted to the pretty blonde, very much so. There just happens to be two troublesome problems. Number one is, what if she's married? And what does that matter? Because the other problem is, he doesn't know a thing about women like her.

As he turns onto the street he sees her up ahead. She's sitting on the front steps reading a book and looking just as sweet as he remembers. When he comes to a stop at the curb she looks up, seems a little startled at first and then smiles shyly.

He nods as he shuts the ignition off and gets out of the truck, walking around it to speak to her. She's already on her feet and speaking first, "Hello Mister Daryl, welcome back."

"Hey Miss Beth, thanks. Um, Mister Horvath said he'd like ta have some fish if I caught any, ya know for meals and such around here. Anyway, I got a few, can I bring em round back for ya?"

"How nice, yes please. I can meet you at the back porch entrance."

She hurries in, absentmindedly setting the book on the kitchen counter before walking out to the porch. She's waiting when he pulls around and she finds herself smiling at the man, she just can't help it. Besides, he's smiling too.

He shuts off the ignition, hops form the truck and tells her, "I got em in the back," as he opens the baker's doors and pulls out the burlap sack.

He climbs the back porch steps and she reaches her hand out to take the sack from him, but he insists, "Nah, I'll carry em in for ya."

He follows her to the kitchen and sets the bag in the sink, letting her know, "They're cleaned n all, but I don't think there's quite enough for a meal for everyone."

She assures him, "Oh but they'll be lovely to have. Would you like me to prepare them with breakfast in the morning?"

Damn, why do those everyday words sound so good coming from her? "Yeah I sure would, I'd like it a lot. Thanks."

He's trying not to stare at her and so his eyes stray to the counter and her book. He looks at it and then at her and asks, "Whatcha readin', one a them romance novels?"

00

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this week's chapter and that you'll leave a comment. I'll be back next Friday with a new chapter of The Stranger Upstairs, and I hope you'll be here too. Until then stay safe and remember, I love ya large! xo gneebee


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much everyone! Don't you hate it when someone calls you out for reading a romance novel? Let's see how things go from there :)

00

Her cheeks immediately turn bright pink and her eyes are the size of half-dollars when she nervously replies, "No. Oh my goodness _no_. It's an adventure story."

Things had been going along pretty well and now he feels like a jerk. He didn't mean to upset her; he was only teasing. Shit, but she looks so damn cute all flustered and he can't keep from smiling when he tries to assure her, "Hey, I's only jokin'."

She's still bright pink and still avoiding his gaze when she answers, "I see, well I'd better get these fish wrapped and stored in the refrigerator."

She still won't look at him, she must be really mad and now he's sure he fouled things up for good. How the hell is he going to make this right? "Nah, ya don't need to. Just show me where the paper is and I'll take care of it."

She's already tearing sheets of brown butcher paper from the roll when, still avoiding eye contact and sounding a little stubborn she insists, "No, it's fine thank you. I can do it." That's when he finally realizes it's not that she's mad at him, he embarrassed her.

It's not like him at all to try and flirt or tease with a woman, but that doesn't mean he doesn't try and do it now. He laughs a little and says, "How bout we don't argue about it? How bout we just do it together?"

She doesn't think she can speak again so she only nods, and he stands as close to her as he thinks she'll allow as they begin to wrap the fish. It's while they work he notices her hands. They're so red and chapped he's sure it must be painful. Chapping like that happened to him just last winter.

Pipes have a tendency to fail when the air gets its coldest. They crack and joints give out and it can be a real mess. It was especially bad just this past January. He was working non-stop on busted pipes and even his work gloves couldn't protect his hands from the wet and cold. The days on end spent out in the freezing weather took it's toll. His hands got so badly chapped his knuckles cracked and bled.

She's probably got her hands in and out of water most of the day with all the cooking and cleaning she has to do. He wonders if she's using any cream or ointment to try and heal them.

That's what he's thinking in that moment, but she's got something entirely different on her mind. She didn't mean to ask the question, she was only thinking it. Once the words are out of her mouth she's certain she'll never get over asking him, but it happens. "Didn't your wife want to keep any of these nice fish?"

His eyebrows furrow and he's looking at her like she's lost her mind when he questions, "My wife?"

Instantly her throat is as dry as the Sahara Desert and rather than color in her cheeks, she's certain that every bit of color has drained from them. She feels the need to sit down or she might fall down, but all she can do is tighten her grip on the sink, "I…I'm, I'm sorry. I…I have no business asking you personal questions. I just…well I was told not to set a place for you on weekends. I thought maybe you go home to a wife and children."

He's about to tell her that's not the case at all but he doesn't get the chance. They're interrupted when Mr. and Mrs. Horvath come walking in from their private sitting room. Mr. Horvath is all smiles when he asks, "What are you two so busy doing?"

Beth is relieved when it's Daryl who answers, "I caught a few fish this afternoon and I thought y'all could use em. Miss Beth here offered ta cook em up with breakfast."

Beth has gotten her voice back and adds, "I thought I'd better wrap them and get them in the refrigerator so they don't spoil. Mister Daryl has been kind enough to help."

The work is done and now that the proprietors have shown up Daryl's feeling uncomfortable. He nods his good-bye, "Well I think we got it all done here. It was nice ta see y'all. I best get upstairs n get a bath."

Miss Erma's been quietly observing it all. She's sure she sees a spark between the new boarder and her sweet helper. Oh dear. Even though he looks a bit rough the boarder seems nice enough. Still the fact remains, she doesn't know him or the type of fellow he might be, and she considers it her responsibility to watch over Beth.

There's also the firm rule she set, no keeping company with the boarders. It's simply not a good idea and would no-doubt lead to trouble.

She's not going to discuss her suspicions with Beth, not quite yet. She's sure for now that whatever is brewing between the pair is innocent, and it may turn out that it's nothing. She sees no reason to needlessly embarrass the young woman. She'll simply keep a close eye on the situation.

Beth puts the fish in the spare refrigerator on the back porch then goes to the kitchen to try and wash the smell off her hands. They hurt so badly she dreads putting them in water again, but what can she do?

When all is done she's glad to be back in her room, she needs time alone to think. She sets her book on the night table before collecting her gown and robe and making her way to the bathroom. She locks the door, slips on the gown, removes the pins from her hair and brushes it out, then finds herself wincing as she gets her hands wet while washing her face and brushing her teeth.

She puts a little of her bath lotion on the red cracked flesh, just like she does every evening, but it hasn't been helping. Earlier today, out of sheer desperation she even tried some of the lard in the kitchen. All that's left to do is hope and pray the chapped skin heals a bit overnight.

She takes a quick peek out the bathroom door into to the hall, making certain no one is there before scurrying back to her room. As she quietly shuts her door she breathes out a little sigh. It's been quite the day.

She picks up her journal to write all about how she accidentally asked the boarder if he's a married man. She may never recover from the mortification of doing such a thing. My goodness, she hasn't even gotten over the embarrassment of him asking her if she was reading a romance novel.

She's having a slight problem as she endeavors to express her feelings on paper, she can't seem to keep her mind on her writing when she can hear the subject of her thoughts rummaging around in the room above hers.

* * *

He gets his bath and trims up his facial hair and it's all so habitual he doesn't have to think about what he's doing. It's just as well because the only thing he seems capable of thinking about is her. Being so close to her like he was, standing side by side doing a small task, damn she's even prettier than he realized.

It's not just the beauty of her though, everything about her seems so soft and kind of gentle. And just what the hell is he going to do about that? He shakes his head in confusion and whispers to himself, "Nuthin' ya can do, least wise not tonight."

After the bath and the mustache and beard trimming, he does his best to comb his wet hair back off his face and out of his eyes, then brushes his teeth. He's uncertain what the rules are about attire in the upstairs hall, or even why there would be rules. They're all men up there. But he's just moved in and he doesn't want to take chances on offending anyone or doing the wrong thing. With that in mind he steps into his cotton boxers, slides them up and buttons them at the waist, then tugs the sleeveless undershirt over his head.

He steps in the chinos and pulls on his shirt, but he leaves the shirt open in the front. Hell, he's only walking a few feet down the hall.

Back in his room he stuffs his dirty clothes in a laundry bag he keeps in the closet, then goes to the bureau and retrieves his work diary. He's been keeping notes in it since he bought his place. He likes having an account of the work he's done on his land and house.

The first thing he does is jot down today's date, then he makes brief notes of what he accomplished over the weekend. He knows it'll never mean anything to anyone but him, and that doesn't matter. He just wants to have a record he can look back on years from now and remember how it all went.

When he's completed his notes he pulls the drawer open again to store the book, and something catches his eye. A jar of cream. The cream he used when his hands were so badly chapped. He'd swear the stuff is some kind of miracle cure. He thinks it over for a minute and decides yeah, he wants her to have it. That's not all though, he'd also like to make a couple of things clear to her.

He slips the jar in his pocket, buttons up his shirt, tucks it in and uses his fingers to once again push the hair back from his face. Then quietly heads down the backstairs.

* * *

When she's done pouring out her heart to it, and writing of her embarrassment in the journal, she returns the book to the bureau drawer and turns out the light. She has her beside lamp and it will provide enough light. She slides into bed, takes the book in her hands and smiles when she turns to the page where she left off. She's enjoying the story so much she wishes she could read all night but she only plans to read until eight p.m. Then she needs to get her rest.

Tomorrow is such a busy day. She'll be cleaning the upstairs bathroom while the men are at work, and vacuuming both the upstairs and downstairs. There's extra bread to bake for Monday dinner as well. Dinner is going to be a house favorite, chipped beef on toast. There will only be enough for each man to have one serving, and she knows once it's gone they'll want to fill up a little more with lots of bread with butter and jam.

She doesn't manage to make it through even three pages of the story before drifting off to sleep. She might have slept the whole night through laying there with the open book on her chest, if not for the light knock on her bedroom door that wakes her.

Her eyes open and she's a little disoriented, then realizes, oh my gosh she dozed off. She glances at the clock and it's already ten minutes before eight. She softly calls, "Just a moment," and then feels a nervousness. No one ever comes to her door at night. Is something wrong? Has something happened to Mr. or Mrs. Horvath? She grabs the afghan from the foot of her bed, drapes it across her shoulders and quietly pulls the door open.

When he sees her standing there in the doorway it happens again, she goes right to his heart and there's nothing he can do about that but smile. Her hair is hanging loose and it's a little messy and something about that fills him with longing. Her big blue eyes appear so sleepy and standing there like she is, barefoot and all, she looks even tinier.

What he'd like to do more than anything is wrap his arms around her, hold her close and steal a kiss.

She can feel her jaw drop at the sight of Daryl Dixon standing in her doorway, just as she can feel her heart begin to beat a little faster. He's so handsome, and with his hair pushed away from his face she has an excellent view of his blue eyes. He smells of Palmolive soap and his fresh clothes are clean and pressed. Everything about him fills her with a kind of longing she has never experienced and doesn't quite understand.

Then she comes to her senses, none of that matters. As good as he looks and smells, and as nice as it is to see him, it's also inappropriate for him to come to her door. She manages to ask, "Why are you here Mister Daryl?"

He seems nervous but his smile is soft as he holds out his hand, offering her a small jar, "It's cream for your hands, it works real good. Just rub a bunch on before ya go ta bed, if ya got some soft gloves put them on too. That'll help the chapping a lot. You'll see a difference by mornin'."

She's startled by the kindness, it's not at all what she expected when she opened the door, "Oh my, that's very thoughtful of you. Thank you so much."

"Welcome." He almost turns to go, but there's more he wants her to know. First, he confesses, "Hey, I's only jokin' bout the book. I know that story, I read it once a long time ago. It's a good one."

Then he does turn to leave, but he stops and turns back to look in her eyes when he tells her, "What ya asked me bout a wife? I ain't a married man. I got no wife and no children."

Her eyes are wide as she gives only a one word response, "Oh."

He never had any intention of asking her, but then the question came to him and he did, "You got a husband or sumthin'?"

"Oh, um, no."

He nods again and says, "Well g'nite Miss Beth," and just that fast he's gone.

She's filled with such warm feelings as she goes to the bureau and retrieves the white cotton gloves she wears to church. She sets the jar of cream and the gloves on her night table, crawls between the sheets and generously applies the lotion, rubbing it into her hands over and over before slipping on the gloves.

A smile is on her lips and Daryl Dixon is on her mind as she dozes off once more.

* * *

She finds herself waking a bit earlier than usual and the first thing she notices is how much better her hands look and feel. She's amazed, they don't hurt at all when she washes up and again she's touched by, and grateful for, his thoughtfulness.

She's glad she woke early, it's nice to have a bit of extra time to get ready for the day. She smiles as she pins her hair up and absentmindedly wonders if he would prefer it up or down. She's being so silly. Besides, there's really no choice but to wear it up when she serves food, and she's looking forward to this first time seeing Mister Daryl at a meal.

As she dresses her mind is still on him and not just his thoughtfulness, there's more to it. She's gained a little insight into the man he is. He was aware he embarrassed her with the story remark, and he wanted to make certain she knew he was only teasing. He's very kind.

Yes, very kind, but what has her smiling even wider is the knowledge that he also wanted her to know he's not married, and he inquired about her marital status. Then her heart grows heavy when she asks herself why any of those things could possibly matter. She's not allowed to get involved with the boarders and she can't jeopardize her job.

She breathes out a sad sigh, but still takes a little extra time with her appearance.

* * *

It's busy upstairs first thing in the morning. Eight men all getting ready for work at the same time, and its apparent right away there isn't one of them who worries about walking through the hallway in their boxers or briefs. No wonder Miss Beth isn't allowed upstairs while the men are home.

They traipse in and out of the bathroom doing what has to be done and he's glad to see there's a good amount of consideration for each other, no one takes too long.

As they began to emerge from their rooms again they stop to shake hands and introduce themselves to him. He's a little surprised by the wide variety of personalities and professions. The first two to shake his hand and introduce themselves are a guy named Aaron who says he's an accountant, and a fellow named Tobin. He's a floor manager at the big Sears & Roebuck store downtown.

There's a scientist named Eugene who acts as nervous as a cat and talks in an odd manner that Daryl finds confusing. It turns out the big redhead named Abraham is a football coach at the college and there's a young fellow named Alden who says he works as a blacksmith.

There's a doctor named Stevens who works at Grady hospital, and the last one he meets is a small quiet fellow named Eric. He works for a non-government charity helping hungry and displaced folks during these hard times.

They seem like a nice enough bunch. As time goes on he'll learn all of them, with the exception of Alden, lost everything they owned when the banks collapsed.

There's damn near a stampede going down the stairs for breakfast. It's served promptly at 6:30 a.m., but every seat at the table is filled by 6:20. There's a pitcher of orange juice at the center of the table and as they pass the juice around the men are all jabbering about what they have going that day. Daryl's relieved that no one seems to be putting on airs, like their job might be better than the another guy's.

He also notices that he's not alone, any time that Eugene fellow speaks everyone looks just as confused as Daryl feels.

She makes her appearance at 6:25 when she walks in the dining room carrying a large coffee pot. The men greet her with a chorus of, "Good morning Miss Beth," as Daryl tries his best not to stare at her.

She smiling that beautiful smile when she answers, "Good morning gentlemen. Here's your coffee and I've made it nice and strong, just like you like it." She sets it down saying, "Excuse me while I get your breakfast." She shyly glances over at him and he's looking at her, still trying not to be obvious in front of other folks. There's no point to worry though, she's gone again as she hurries back to the kitchen.

She returns a moment later pushing a double tiered wooden serving cart and begins to lift a large covered bowl. Abraham quickly stands and says, "Here, lemme get that for ya Miss Beth. It weighs more than you do." It causes her to laugh, and as much as he loves that sweet sound, it causes Daryl to feel a little twinge of jealousy and also some anger at himself. He should have been the one to offer her help.

The men waste no time, they're already dishing themselves up servings from the big bowl and he's happy to see it's grits. Grits always sound good to Daryl. Then comes two large platters of pancakes and she sets one at each end of the dining table, followed by a bowl of stewed fruit she sets in the center. She knows the men are always especially hungry on Monday mornings. No meal on Sunday evening makes for going to bed on an empty stomach.

Next she lifts a platter from the lower tier of the cart and smiles when she tells them, "We have a special treat this morning. Mister Daryl shared some fish with us he caught yesterday."

He sees she figured out how to make less appear to be more. The heads and tails have been removed and the fish cut in half so there's a piece for everyone. They're breaded and fried and although there's not a lot of food there, no one has to go without.

There's a lot of thanks as the men pass the platter around and then begin to eat heartily. There's jam and there's syrup, honey and butter and it all looks good to him, but he realizes what it is. It's like the army. There's plenty of the kind of food that's designed to fill men up, starchy food.

There's no breakfast meat and no eggs, but he doesn't have a complaint. They're feeding a lot of people in this house and times are tough. Maybe he'll be able to bring some meat back with him next Sunday.

She's having trouble taking her eyes off of him, but she has work to do. He's definitely a distraction though. She likes everything about the way he looks on a Monday morning. He's got his hair combed back out of his eyes and his strong masculine face is so handsome. She suspected he's a working man and the clothes he's wearing tell her she was right. He has on blue denim overalls with a patch that says, "City of Atlanta, Watershed," over the front pocket, and a blue chambray work shirt. She sees the cloth work cap stuffed in his back pocket and he's wearing brown leather work boots with thick rubber soles. They aren't worn out, just well worn.

What looks best of all is the smile he gives her just as he's about to take a bite of his fish.

He knows she's been up since just before five, he heard her. He knows she's been cooking all morning, all the food on the table is evidence of that. Yet even with the early hour and the work she's been doing already, she looks as fresh and pretty as anyone or anything he's ever seen.

She's got her hair all pinned up, but some of those blonde curls have found their way out of the hairpins. Some are now laying loosely against the pale skin of her slim neck, while others frame her pretty face. Her eyes shine as she tells the men about his fish, and he likes the way she smiles over at him as he puts a bite in his mouth. It's good too, cooked just right. Everything's good.

She's dressed simply in a blue cotton housedress with little flowers on it, low-heeled pumps and a white bibbed apron. He wonders at how she can work so hard and appear to be so happy about it, like it's a pleasure to do these things.

He hates to push back from the table and get on with his day, he could sit there and watch her forever. But he won't be late for work. Times are too tough and he won't do anything other than be the best employee a man can be. He's well aware that if he messes up there are at least two hundred men who would jump at the chance to take his job, even for half the wage.

There's just one thing he has to do before he goes. He waits until he can do it discreetly.

The men have left the table, everyone's full and ready to get started on the new week. She comes back in the dining room pushing the empty service cart, ready to begin clearing the table.

He's twisting the cap in his hands when he asks, "Are your hands feelin' any better?"

She smiles, "Oh yes, so much better." As she reaches out to show him the improvement the tips of her fingers brush against the back of his hand. She blushes and looks down for a moment, but then her blue eyes look up into his and she softly whispers, "Thank you again Mister Daryl."

He's pretty sure that light touch will be what gets him through the day, and it's also got him wanting just another few seconds with her, "Did ya get ta have any a that fish?"

"I did. I eat early before I serve the men. It was so delicious and I enjoyed it so much. Thank you again."

He's the embarrassed one now and again nervously twisting his cap, "You're welcome. Breakfast was real good. Best grits I ever ate. You have a nice day now."

"Thank you, you too."

He nods and turns toward the door while she seems to be stuck in place, just watching him. His hand is on the knob when he stops, looks over his shoulder at her and smiles, "I look forward ta seein' ya tonight Miss Beth."

00

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hmm, things seem to be going along quite well. Please leave a comment and let me know your thoughts. I'll be back next Friday with a new chapter of The Stranger Upstairs and I hope you'll be here too. In the meantime take care and remember, I love ya large! xo gneebee


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all again! We had a sweet little exchange just as Daryl was leaving for work and we pick up right there.
> 
> Note, Merle's on his way: in 1930 Hittin' the pipe = opium

00

Driving to work he can feel the big stupid grin on his face. He knows exactly why it's there. It started with the way she smiled at him and the sweet look in her eyes, but what really got to him was the way her fingertips lightly grazed the back of his hand.

What the hell is the matter with him? How could such a fleeting and innocent touch give him such a thrill? Why is he so taken by her? It's not like she's the only woman in the world, this city's full of women.

He shakes his head at himself for being such an idiot, and then he acknowledges the truth. There might be plenty of women around, but she's the only one who interests him.

How can that be? It doesn't make any sense at all. They hardly know each other and yet she's the woman he can't stop thinking about. She's the woman he didn't want to have to leave this morning. He wanted so much to stay there and talk with her a while, and when the time came for him to finally go he found himself wanting to take her in his arms and kiss her goodbye.

He has to quit thinking this way. When did he become such a dreamer? He hasn't got time for such thoughts. He's got important things he needs to concentrate on. He needs to be thinking about work if he wants to keep eating and keep a roof over his head, not spend his time thinking about pretty little blondes with big blue eyes.

Yet his smile grows again when he remembers how much he wanted to kiss that pretty mouth.

He's got to make himself stop. He can't be doing anything of the kind, it wouldn't be right. Not with her. He's not any sort of expert when it comes to men and women and the ways they act with each other, but he's seen enough to know there are different rules with different women.

He's been to the dancehall plenty of times. He and his buddy used to go regular, that's where his pal met the woman he married, the dancehall.

Daryl never danced with anyone. Mostly he just leaned against the wall discreetly taking nips of whiskey from his hipflask. He liked listening to the music and watching the couples dance, he especially liked when they danced the fast ones like the lindy hop and the jive. But no, he never asked anyone to dance.

He's aware of what happens after the dancing too, at least with some of the couples. He saw it plenty of times walking out to his truck. Guys and gals out behind the dancehall thinking just because it's dark no one can see what they're getting up to. There was always a lot of necking and touching and plenty of other stuff going on out in that lot.

He's 100% sure she's not the kind of woman who would allow those sorts of goings on. And she's definitely not the type to let a fella just grab hold of her and kiss her because the mood struck him.

Nah, sweet Beth wouldn't be one to give her kisses away quite so easily. If a guy was to want to get anywhere with a woman like her he'd have to set about proving to her he's worthy of her affections.

Maybe, just maybe someday he'll be able to convince her he's an honorable man and she might just believe he is, but not now. For now there are too many other things he needs to see about, like his work and his place he's got to finish. Yep, his plate is full.

Besides, he doesn't even know how a guy goes about getting something started with a woman like her.

He makes a quick stop at the Chinese laundry to drop off his bag of dirty clothes and pick up the box of freshly washed, pressed and folded clothes. It's the one indulgence he allows himself. Since he got his place he doesn't have time to spend washing and ironing.

* * *

There's a pink glow in her cheeks and a happy smile beaming across her pretty face as she turns away from the door, only to find she's looking right into the concerned eyes of Erma Horvath.

The woman walks closer, takes hold of Beth's elbow and gently reminds her, "Beth, you remember the rule don't you?"

Beth's face is now flushed with embarrassment and although she hasn't done anything wrong she feels guilty.

Erma Horvath is not simply a woman she considers her friend, she's also Beth's employer. The young woman speaks quietly and respectfully as she does her best to explain, "Miss Erma, honest we, Mister Daryl and me, we…we weren't doing anything to be ashamed of."

Although the tone of Erma Horvath's voice is not harsh, it is most definitely stern, "Well I'm sure you weren't Dear. You're a very sweet young woman, I know that. However, I don't know Mister Dixon well at all and it's my responsibility to protect you from the wrong sorts of people. You're an innocent and you may not be aware that some men are not to be trusted. They have their ways of getting what they want from innocent young women like yourself, all while convincing that young woman their intentions are honorable and sincere."

Beth's stomach is so knotted she's fearful she could double over at any minute, still she tries to convince her employer she and Daryl are _both_ innocent of any wrong doing, "Honest Miss Erma, the only thing that took place was, last night he noticed my hands are very chapped and he was kind enough to give me a jar of cream he said would help. This morning he only wanted to ask me if it did."

She holds out her hand then, "See? Remember how terrible they looked? They're so much better now. That's all it was. This morning I showed him my hand and I thanked him for the cream."

"Indeed, they're looking much better. I apologize for not having offered you something myself." The woman's tone gets a little softer and a little more motherly as she continues, "Beth Dear, you don't want to be beholden to him for anything, do you? It just wouldn't be proper."

She takes Beth's hands in hers and continues, "I'm going to strongly suggest you return the jar of cream to the gentleman. I'll have Mister Horvath go out this morning and get you some of those rubber gloves to wear while cleaning and doing dishes and your own jar of Jergens. That should take care of your hands."

Beth thanks the woman for her kindnesses at the same time she feels tears start to sting her eyes. She's not used to being reprimanded in this manner, and she doesn't want Miss Erma to be mad at her. But what she's most upset about is not being allowed to speak to Daryl, and having to return the cream that he so kindly gave her.

What can she do? She really has no choice. This job is far too important to her, and not just for herself. What about Daddy? She needs the money she makes for both of them. Although she's heartbroken she nods and agrees, "Yes Ma'am," and returns to her chore of clearing the table, then dutifully stands at the sink doing dishes while Miss Erma busies herself with the downstairs dusting.

Doing dishes is simply routine, the chore requires almost none of her attention. So as Beth washes, dries and returns the dishes to drawers and cupboards, she has plenty of time to dwell on her heartache. She's fighting back tears and asking herself why in the world she's this upset? She hardly knows the man.

It's not as if he's her intended, my goodness he's not even her suitor. They've barely spoken. All that's happened between them is that he did her a nice turn. It was a lovely gesture, very kind of him. But other than that, who is to her? He's no one.

Miss Erma's right too, she doesn't even know anything about him. Maybe there is a motive behind his kindness and she's lucky to be rid of him.

The trouble is she doesn't believe anything of the sort, not even for a minute. It may not be evident to most, especially not at first glance of his rather rough outside appearance, but she's sure he's a principled man.

There's also that certain something she saw in his eyes right from the very first time she met him. It's not something a person can put words too, it's more of a feeling. What matters is she's sure Daryl Dixon has a goodness in him that goes right down to his core. If no one else is capable of seeing it, well that's just tough tiddlywinks for them. They're simply not as perceptive as she.

She shakes her head and asks herself, "So what are you going to do about it Beth? Tell Miss Erma you don't care what she says, you're going to do as you please?" She knows she can't and won't do anything of the kind. She'll do exactly as she's told to do whether she likes it or not.

When the dish washing is complete she makes enough dough for five loaves of bread. Four to be used in the dining room and a loaf for she and the Horvath's to share. In the meantime Miss Erma is busy making a peach cobbler for tonight's dessert.

It's not the typical Monday night dessert, tapioca pudding is the usual. But yesterday at church one of Miss Erma's lady friends blessed her with the gift of a large basket of fresh peaches, and tonight everyone will enjoy that blessing.

As she kneads the dough Beth finds her mind once again returning to thoughts of him. The sweet fragrance of peaches is in the air and she feels happy knowing he'll get to enjoy such a nice dessert. She only wishes she could have been the one to make it for him. She's sure that will never happen now.

She leaves the covered dough to rise and begins her other chores. She has a bucket filled with her cleaning supplies including plenty of rags. She'll clean the men's bathroom first, then clean the wainscotting in the hall and lastly she'll vacuum the hall. She takes the backstairs up to the men's quarters to begin her tasks.

It so happens that Miss Erma is the very proud owner of a Vacuette Electric vacuum cleaner. It purchased following a demonstration given her and Mister Dale by a door to door salesman representing the Kirby Company. Beth will use the appliance in the upstairs hall, however, Miss Erma has agreed Beth does not need to use it on the stairs.

Not since the incident. The Vacuette, and Beth right along with it, nearly toppled down those stairs.

It was just two days after she moved in, her very first time cleaning upstairs. She had no familiarity with an electric vacuum cleaner whatsoever. She didn't realize how heavy and cumbersome the Vacuette is. The awkwardness and weight of the appliance, along with the narrow backstairs and Beth's small build almost proved deadly.

Thank the Lord Mister Abraham arrived home at an odd hour that day to retrieve his forgotten football playbook. He started coming up the stairs after it, just as Beth was falling down them. Disaster was averted when he caught her.

A decision was immediately reached. Beth now uses the carpet sweeper on the stairs and Mister Dale carries the Vacuette up and down the stairs when she's to vacuum the hall. Beth would much prefer to forgo use of the Vacuette altogether and simply use the carpet sweeper or even sweep the carpet with a stiff broom. But it's not her choice to make and Miss Erma is very proud of her modern appliance.

Once at the top of the stairs Beth pauses and looks at what she knows is Daryl Dixon's door, wondering again how in the world she will return his cream and tell him about the rule. Maybe he won't care, but she'd like to think he will.

She tells herself to stop worrying over these things and carries the bucket to the bathroom door. She always knocks before entering, even if it's open and even though she knows none of the men are home. She always has that little fear in the back of her mind that she'll walk in on a half-dressed man, knowing she would simply die right there on the spot.

She's grateful that even with so many men using the one bathroom they don't leave terrible messes. They're courteous with each other and with her, and that makes an awful job not nearly as nasty as it could be. She begins with scrubbing the sink, then the tub and toilet, polishes the mirror and wipes down the wainscotting. She finishes up on her hands and knees, washing the floor. By the time she's done cleaning the bathroom, the whole upstairs smells of Bon Ami cleanser and Clorox bleach.

Next she busily cleans the wainscotting in the hall and Mister Dale turns up with the Vacuette, "Here you go young lady. I'll be back to retrieve it."

When her work in the hall is completed she runs the sweeper on the back and front stairs, and then it's time for lunch.

00

He's no sooner at the job site than his former housemate drives by on the way to his own job site, "Hey Daryl, how's the rooming house treatin' ya?"

"Well the food's decent and the other fellas ain't nearly as annoyin' as I thought they'd be."

They both snicker when his buddy replies, "Yeah? Well give em a little more time." Then his pal says, "I got somethin' ta talk to ya about. Somethin' I think you'll like knowin'. Can ya meet me for lunch at Cliff's Diner right up here on the corner?"

"You bet. See ya there."

Working in the sun all day means it's hotter than blue blazes and the work itself is hard and physical. There's a lot of under the breath cussing and grumbling from a couple of the guys and the complaining is starting to wear on Daryl's nerves.

There are times he hates being a lead person, but not in this case. He isn't asking them to work any harder than he is and he has no trouble telling them, "It ain't called fun, it's called work and you get paid ta sweat. Quit your bellyachin' and no cussin' out here in public or you'll be lookin' for a new job."

They shut right up because they know he means it, he's a fair man but he's also a hard case.

When lunch time rolls around he pulls a kerchief from his back pocket and wipes the sweat and grime off his face and the back of his neck as he's walking down the street to Cliff's. His buddy's already waiting at the counter.

The fans are slowly spinning overhead and the little breeze they create feels good on his damp skin. The waitress sets a glass of water in front of him which he proceeds to down in one swallow, smiles and says, "Thank ya Ma'am, could I get another?"

Then his buddy breaks out his news, "You remember meetin' my wife's brother the day we got married?"

"Yeah, sure I remember. He's a farmer, right?"

"He was a farmer, now the bank's callin' his note. They're gonna take the whole darn place away from him. They gave him 30 days to clear his family and his stuff out and be gone."

"I'm sure sorry ta hear that, he's got a couple a little ones too, don't he?"

"Yeah he does, twins. They're all gonna move in with his wife's sister while they try n figure out how ta start over."

"That's a shame. Lotta people havin' tough times." It makes Daryl angry all over again thinking guys would complain about hard work.

"It's the worst times, my woman she's feelin' real low about it all. Still, there might be a little good news for you in all this, which would turn into good news for him."

"Oh yeah, how's that?"

"Before his thirty days are up he wants ta try n sell everythin' he can. He's got one a them steam generators you was talkin' about and a real good mechanical well pump, a boiler, heck, he's even got a water tower. He's got household furnishins and all manner a other things. He's willin' ta let it all go dirt cheap, he don't care what he gets for any of it. All he cares about is he don't wanna see the bank end up with any of it. If ya wanna have a look we could drive out there on Saturday."

"I wanna be workin' on my place Saturday, how bout we go tomorrow right after work? If it starts ta get too dark I can turn my truck lights on ta see what he's got outside."

"Sure, I'll let him know."

That's when his buddy gets to the other news, "Your brother come by my place yesterday afternoon lookin' for ya."

Daryl's got the ham sandwich almost to his mouth, he sets it back on the plate and asks, "Merle was by?"

"Yessir. He didn't smell like booze or act like he'd been drinkin' at all. He didn't act like he'd been smokin' Mary Jane or hittin' the pipe either. I still didn't let on to him where ya moved to. I told him I didn't know for sure. He said if I seen ya ta tell ya he'd be by your place on Saturday mornin' first thing."

Daryl almost let's a cuss word slip out right there in a public place, but he catches himself and only says, "I hope ta heck he's towing the line. I ain't got time for his shenanigan's right now. Thanks for steerin' him clear of the roomin' house. I think them folks might take exception to a fella like Merle Dixon."

His buddy laughs and claps him on the back and says, "C'mon now Daryl, ol' Merle ain't a bad egg, he's just got a couple a bad habits is all."

Daryl gives him the side eye and says, "If that's what ya wanna call it."

Merle, shit he hasn't seen him in a year, he wasn't even sure where he might be. All he knew was his brother was alive, he had to be. Nothing can kill Merle but Merle. There's also no man alive who can find trouble as fast or as deep as Merle Dixon can.

Daryl wishes he didn't care for the big blowhard like he does, his brother can be a royal pain in the ass. Still, somewhere down deep in him Merle really is a pretty damn good egg. When he was a kid his brother saved Daryl's bacon more than once. It'll be good to see him again, he just hopes Merle shows up without those habits of his.

* * *

He makes a quick stop at the market on his way home. He's got to a get a couple things he can have to eat in his room and stuff he can take for lunch. He was always in the habit of fixing a lunch for work. If he has to start eating in a diner every day, at four bits a day, shit, that's two and a half bucks a week. What a waste.

He picks up some apples, a jar of peanut butter and one of jelly, a loaf of bread, four cans of BeeNee WeeNee and a box of saltines. That's a start. The boarders aren't supposed to have food in their rooms but how's anyone ever going to know?

He gets to Horvath's with just ten minutes to spare before dinner. He rushes up the backstairs, hits the toe of his boot on a small package as he unlocks his door, picks up the package and tosses it on the bed. He'll have a look at it later. For now he stashes the grocery sack in the closet, sets the box with his laundry on the bed and hurries to the bathroom to wash up.

He hasn't been at the table more than 30 seconds when she walks in the room. It's like the whole place lights up and it's Abe who says, "There's the woman we've all been so anxious to see."

She giggles and responds, "I don't think it's me at all Mister Abraham. I believe it's this chipped beef you've been anxious to see."

She's adorable and Daryl likes that she has a sense of humor. What he doesn't like is the way she's laughing and joking with the other men but she's not even looking his way. It's not just that either. It's not like she just hasn't happened to glance at him, he'd swear she's going out of her way not to look in his direction.

Well she's going to have to eventually. She's walking around the table setting a plate in front of each man and they all seem pleased as punch. It pleases him too, chipped beef on toast is a hard one to beat, and he almost laughs thinking of what his army buddies called it, S.O.S, shit on a shingle.

Talk like that wouldn't do in this house and he'd never talk that way about anything she prepared. But why is she's avoiding looking at him? What the hell is going on? He doesn't know, he only knows he doesn't care for it.

She sets a plate in front of him saying, "Here you go Mister Daryl." The same thing she says to every other guy at the table.

He answers back, "Thank you, it looks good."

Then it's Aaron speaking to her, "Miss Beth no one makes a finer serving of chipped beef than you. Thank you."

Shit, why couldn't he speak to her that way? She still won't even glance over at him. He notices something else too, like she's fearful or nervous about him. What did he do? In what way could he have offended her? This morning when he left she was all smiles and thanking him, she even touched his hand. What's changed since then?

Dinner is gone from their plates in what seems like seconds flat, and then everyone starts on the platters of bread with butter and fresh peach jam. None of it lasts long either and then she's clearing the table and telling them with a smile, "We have a special dessert tonight."

It's the young one, Alden who asks, "What's that Miss Beth?"

"Peach cobbler."

There's nothing but happy smiles and anticipation at the table as she takes the cart of dirty dishes from the room, returning just moments later with plates of cobbler. Again she walks around the table setting a plate in front of each man and when she gets to the Doctor he makes a request, "We had a sad day at the hospital Miss Beth, could I ask you to play, 'In the Garden' for me? That one always makes things a little better."

"Of course I will, and I'm sorry you had a difficult day."

Daryl doesn't know what they've been talking about or what she's doing when she quickly leaves the room.

And then he knows, and once again she goes straight to his heart. It isn't the beautiful music coming from the piano that gets to him, or even the pretty and soothing words of the hymn, it's her angel voice that has him entranced. It's as sweet and pure as he's sure she is, and the sound of it makes him wonder again, why has she turned away from him?

There's a feeling deep inside him and he recognizes what it is, hurt.

Everyone seems to be milling around downstairs after dinner so he has no opportunity to ask her what's wrong. He takes one last glance her way before starting toward the stairs and he's surprised when she finally looks at him. But the look she gives him leaves him feeling even more confused. She seems so sad and all he can do is give a slight shrug as he turns and goes.

When he gets to his room he plops down on the bed and sits hunched over with head in hands. What the hell he wonders. Then he remembers the package. It's a small paper sack with the words, "For Mister Daryl," written on it in a feminine hand.

He can't imagine what it could be as he cautiously opens it as if a snake might jump out at him. His brow furrows when he sees the jar of cream he gave her, and there's a note.

* * *

Beth's been a bundle of nerves all day and it's worse when the time comes to serve their dinner. She's so sad she's afraid she might burst into tears at any moment. She's grateful the men are so talkative and seem to be in such good spirits. It helps.

Normally she simply sets the food at the center of the table family-style and the men dish up their own plates. However, when there's just one serving for each of them it avoids potential trouble if they're each simply given their share.

She reaches in front of him to set his plate on the table and she worries she'll faint. It's so difficult to be so close and to not be able to even look at him, much less speak to him. She's too fearful to say even the most innocent of conversational things to him. She's scared she's too full of emotion and she'll lose her composure and begin to cry.

She does everything possible to avert her eyes from Daryl Dixon throughout the entire meal, yet she feels his eyes on her. She wonders, has he read her note?

It was after lunch that she thought to write it. She had her half hour break in her room but instead of resting she wrote the letter to him,

_Dear Mister Daryl,_

_Thank you very much for the use of your cream. It worked so well and my hands felt much better by morning. Although I appreciate your thoughtfulness, I should have never accepted the cream from you._

_I am forbidden to socialize with the men of the house in any way, and I cannot accept gifts or kindnesses as you may then consider me beholding to you in some way._

_These are the rules of the house and in order for me to retain my position here I must abide them._

_Thank you for your understanding of my situation._

_Most Sincerely,_

_Elizabeth Greene_

She slipped the cream and the note in a small paper bag she'd saved from the drug store and wrote his name on it.

Then she told a fib. She told Miss Erma she thought she may have left one of her cleaning rags in the upstairs hall, "I'll just run up and collect it." Instead she placed the bag in his doorway, where he couldn't possibly miss it.

* * *

His first reaction to the letter is anger. He's on his feet ready to race down those stairs and give the Horvath's what for, but something tells him to hold up. He sits again, forces himself to take a deep breath and re reads her letter. He realizes how unfair it would be to her if he were to make a scene. She'd lose her job and it would be his fault. He can't do that to her.

He works it over in his mind. If he knew her better, and he was sure she wouldn't be offended, he might ask her if she'd be willing to try and sneak around. Maybe they could see each other on the sly. But no, he can't.

No one's in the bathroom and he takes advantage. He needs to do a little better job of cleaning himself up after working all day in the hot sun. He does just that, goes back to his room and lays back on the bed munching on an apple while he thinks.

He makes a decision, this is a sign. He's got a big job ahead of him at his place, it seems likely he'll end up spending the last of his savings on equipment and furnishings, he won't have the time or money to try and start anything up with her anyway. It's best if he just forgets the idea altogether.

He only wishes the decision didn't make his heart and his head hurt so bad.

* * *

It's early morning when she flips on her bedside lamp but the time doesn't matter. She's barely slept all night. All she's been able to do is think of him. It's so unfair, they're not doing anything wrong and besides, what if he's her meant-to-be and just because of some stupid rule it never happens? What then? Will she go through life alone and filled with regret because she gave up so easily?

Yes, but what if he read her note and thought it was too much trouble to pursue something with her? Maybe he never had any romantic intentions at all. Maybe he was just being nice and now she's completely embarrassed herself by assuming he wanted more. Oh my goodness this is all so awful and confusing.

She wishes she knew what Mama would advise but all she knows is her heart is breaking.

The men are all sitting at the table and ready for their breakfast by 6:20 am. The Tuesday morning menu is oatmeal with dried fruits, brown sugar and cream for toppings. There will be a basket of fresh hot biscuits along with butter and jam, and a loaf of date nut bread.

She makes her appearance in the dining room at 6:25am with the big pot of coffee in her hand a smile on her face, and the men all greet her with a chorus of, "Good morning Miss Beth."

She smiles back and cheerfully responds, "Good morning to you gentlemen."

Then Daryl says, "Don't bother settin' a place for me at dinner. I got somewhere else ta be."

She looks at him with the saddest eyes he's ever seen and all she says is, "Oh."

That one little word feels like a knife to the heart.

00

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well darn. Please leave me a comment and let me know your thoughts. I'll be back next Friday with a new chapter of The Stranger Upstairs and I hope you'll be here too. In the meantime stay safe and remember, I love ya large! xo gneebee


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone! This chapter is busy! We'll pay a call on the farmer, Merle arrives with a big story, our couple have a little interaction and later in the chapter, some sweetness. phew! I hope you enjoy!

00

He's instantly filled with regret. He should have said that in some nicer way, and there's no excuse for the sharp tone he used. He let his anger and disappointment get the best of him, and dammit, none of this is her fault.

He's glad to have a back breaker of a day ahead of him. Hopefully he'll be working too hard to think about her and the mistake he made. He's thankful to have somewhere he has to be after work too. At least he'll be busy, his mind will be occupied and he won't have time to stew over any of this mess. For now though his mind wanders to what she'll be doing tonight, serving up dinner while smiling and joking with those other fellas.

There's no winning.

Daryl and his crew work hard all morning and the work does help, there's not much time to think of other things. When lunch time comes he walks over to the shady side of the street, sits on the curb and uses his Swiss army knife to open a can of BeanNee WeeNee. It goes down in a hurry and is quickly followed by a peanut butter sandwich, half a canteen of water and an apple. It's not great but it does what he needs it to do. It fills the empty spot in his stomach.

He wishes it was that easy to soothe his heart.

When the workday is done he waits for his buddy and when the guy pulls up they exchange a few words before Daryl follows him out to the farm.

The man wasn't kidding. The farmer has every kind of equipment a fella could want. Some is damn near new but most of it is well-used. Either way all of it seems to be in good working order. What Daryl needs most is a good reliable mechanical pump for his well, and it so happens the farmer has one.

He's been trying to find a good used one for half a year, no luck. The farmer explains, "Yeah I bought this one two months ago with a mind ta change out the old one, it's been givin' me fits for a while. Then the bank got nasty and I knew I wasn't gonna leave a new one here for them."

Next the farmer fires up the generator and it is slick. It's a little noisy, but if a fella was to set it up the right way it wouldn't be a problem. And shoot, the darn thing would put out enough juice to power the house. Still, electricity isn't really something he has to have. It's just a convenience.

Then the farmer shows him the boiler. That's the ticket right there. With the boiler he could make steam to run the generator for electricity and the boiler would heat water for dishes and bathing. He's liking the idea of it all, the boiler, the generator and the mechanical pump. That would be a perfect setup, if he can pay the price.

That's not everything the farmer's got. There's some pipe Daryl could put to good use for his wastewater and sewer lines and there's a couple of rubber hoses he wouldn't mind having. There's some good straight lumber that would come in real handy for the storage shed he'd like to have. But like he tells the fella, "I ain't got the money ta buy everythin' I'd like ta have."

The fella shrugs and says, "I ain't expectin' ta get rich or come close ta breaking even. Truth is, if you got a little money then you got a lot more money than any a the folks around here. If I get anythin' at all that'll suit me fine."

The farmer takes in a deep breath and tells his tale, "I'ma need money ta get my family situated again, but that ain't all of it. I'm pissed off. That gotdamn bank. I paid them bastards right on time for ten years, then I missed one lousy payment and them greedy shits called in my note. Well, they might get my land but I swear they won't get nuthin' else. Whatever you don't take I'll take outta here myself, even if I gotta carry it out on my back."

Daryl understands the man's way of thinking. He never has trusted a bank either, his Dad and his brother are the same. Now that so many rich and poor folks alike have lost everything, the word "Bank" may very well be the dirtiest word in the English language.

Daryl nods and tells the man, "I don't blame ya, I'd feel the same. But I don't wanna cheat ya. I'd like ta pay ya a fair price. Other thing is I ain't sure how I'd get it all ta my place. I got no way ta haul the big stuff, it won't fit in that panel truck."

A smile crosses the farmer's face, "Look around ya, this here's a farm. I got me a big ol' flatbed farm truck. You just be here Saturday mornin' at 6:30 with your muscle." He looks at Daryl's buddy and adds, "You come help too brother."

In the end they make a deal Daryl feels kind of guilty about but the farmer is happy as a pig in shit. Daryl will take the generator, boiler and mechanical pump, two rubber hoses, copper and cast iron piping, a variety of hand tools and lumber, as well as household goods.

From the house he agrees to what looks to be a brand new easy chair, a kitchen table with four chairs and a big kitchen cabinet. But best of all is a large butcher's table he can put to good use butchering game.

He repeatedly questions the farmer's wife, "Are ya sure bout all this ma'am? You're gonna need this stuff when ya settle in a new place."

The woman is bitter, defeated and adamant, "No. I ain't ever gonna wanna see nuthin' from this house ever again. Ain't none of it good for nuthin' but a lotta bad memories." Daryl can't help thinking it won't be long from now and she'll regret getting rid of her things, but she tells him if he doesn't take the stuff it's going to the city dump.

Daryl and the farmer shake hands on the deal and that's that.

As they walk to their vehicles Daryl's buddy smiles at him and says, "Hey, you just made some people real happy. They're gonna have a little money for their fresh start and them kids are gonna have a new set a clothes and new shoes when school starts back up." Knowing the children will have things they need makes Daryl feel a little better.

As he watches his friend drive off Daryl makes a decision. He might as well head out to his place for the night. He's starving and there's a little food left there, but more important he wants to dig up his money and make sure he's covered. He can go back to the boarding house early in the morning, get washed up and have a decent breakfast.

The first thing he does when he gets to the place is open a can of Vienna sausages, a can of baked beans and a can of pears. That's everything he's got and he eats it all right from the cans it came in. He's still hungry but there's nothing left, he finds himself hoping Miss Beth will be serving up a hearty breakfast in the morning, and he can't help thinking how pretty her smile is when she brings coffee to the table.

Once he checks his money and is satisfied it's all there, he decides to leave it where it's buried and wait until he sees the stuff make it to his place on Saturday. He washes up with the water in the bucket, strips to his shorts and crawls in the bed. Sleep doesn't come right away.

He tosses and turns then lays on his back and throws his arm over his eyes. He lets out a loud sigh and does a lot of what he's been trying not to do all day. He thinks about her. He knows he should apologize but if he's not even supposed to talk to her how the hell can he tell her he's sorry? And what the hell is he so sorry about anyway? He's got a right to come and go as he pleases.

That's true, but it doesn't mean he has a right to be grouchy with her. He'll make it a point to smile at her in the morning, to actually greet her with a cheerful good morning and to remember his pleases and thank yous. Maybe she'll forget he's a jerk.

Then his mind wanders to all kinds of crazy things. He knew he wanted that big butcher's table the minute he saw it. When he's living out here for good he doesn't plan to ever buy meat or fish or even chicken from the store. He plans to either hunt, catch or raise his food. He hopes to God he'll never have to eat meat from a can again.

The first thought he had about that butcher table was to set it right in the center of the kitchen, that's handiest. But what would Beth think of a man carving up a deer right in the middle of her kitchen? When he realizes where his mind just went he practically jumps off the bed.

He's rubbing his hand over his head, pacing the floor and talking out loud, " _Her_ kitchen? What the hell's wrong with you Dixon? Ya lost your damn mind?"

He opens his bureau drawer and gets out the jar of hooch, takes a hefty swallow, coughs, screws the lid back on and shakes his head. Shit. He crawls back into bed and thanks to a very long day, he's finally out.

* * *

The way he spoke so abruptly caught her by surprise, and it hurt. He's angry, maybe he thought she was being forward. Maybe he really does have a lady friend. He said he didn't, but maybe it's like Miss Erma said and he wasn't truthful? Maybe he's going to her home after work and she's preparing dinner for him, or perhaps he's taking her out for a bite.

Yes, that must be it. She tries not to think of it or him, she has a busy day and she makes herself concentrate on her work. After the dishes are done she gets right to her next chore of the day, she cleans the downstairs bathroom. It's never too dirty or messy and it doesn't take her long, but then the real work begins, the laundry.

She's grateful the Horvaths employ a commercial laundry service to wash, starch and iron the sheets for the house. She can't imagine running 10 sets of sheets through the wringer each week, or my goodness, having to iron all those sheets. Even without them though, there's still plenty of washing and ironing to be done.

Today she'll be doing the week's table lines, kitchen linens and bath towels from downstairs, and her personal things. Tomorrow she washes the towels from upstairs. Eight sets of towels is quite the chore but everything will be clean and fresh for the men on Friday. Then she'll iron the table linens.

While she's busy wringing out wash and hanging it on the line, she's also busy thinking. She's decided maybe she's going a little crazy, but she just can't get her mind off that man. It makes no sense.

When dinner time comes and she sets the big dish of beef-potato casserole at the center of the table she can't help glancing at his empty chair. She wonders what he's having for dinner tonight and with whom; and the thought of him eating and laughing and talking with a lady friend causes a heaviness in her heart.

After the dinner dishes she tries to drown her thoughts in a nice warm bath, after which she intends to get her gown on and go right to bed. Maybe then she can escape all this thinking. Sleep doesn't come easy though, not like she hoped it would. Instead she finds herself still thinking of him, and when she finally does fall asleep he visits her in her dreams.

It's four a.m. when a sound wakes her and she realizes it's the squeaky hinges on the old side door. She listens hard and although his footfalls are exceptionally light, in the quiet stillness of the sleeping household she can hear him ascend the stairs.

Tears sting her eyes as the worst of thoughts comes to her, oh my, he must have spent the night with his lady friend. She quickly shames herself for thinking such terrible thoughts, but she's not completely naïve. She knows not everyone stays chaste until marriage. My gosh, her very own sister Maggie and the northern man are proof of that.

* * *

He's being as quiet as he can but damn those hinges need some 3-In-One Oil, he may take care of that himself. He creeps up the stairs and once in his room the first thing he does is carefully tear a page from his work diary. He wants to get his feelings down on paper and it could take a while, he sometimes struggles for words.

When the note is done he heads to the bathroom, washes up good and brushes his teeth. As he's finishing he can hear the house starting to stir. Back in his room he gets a clean set of work clothes out of the laundry box and dresses for the day, and looking around he tells himself he'll get two things done after dinner tonight, straightening his room and writing in his work diary of yesterday's good fortune and the purchases he made.

The note he wrote is clutched in his hand as he steps out in the hall, nods and says "Good morning," to a couple of fellows waiting for their turn in the bathroom and moves along.

He's the first one down the stairs and the last one to sit at the table. That's because he's leaning against the wall in the sitting room, lying in wait for her. When she comes walking through from the kitchen with the coffee pot in hand he whispers, "Beth." She stops, a startled look on her face as she glances over at him.

He whispers again as he hands her a small folded paper, "Here." Then hurries ahead to sit at the table.

This day when she walks in with the coffee he's the first one to smile at her and say, "Good morning Miss Beth."

She smiles back and says, "Good morning gentlemen, enjoy your coffee. I'll be right back with your breakfast."

She sets the pot down in the center of the table and scurries off, only going as far as the sitting room before quickly glancing at the note, smiling as she reads his words,

" _Dear Miss Beth,_ _I'm real sorry I was short with you yesterday morning. I got no good excuse. Where I been is, I got a place I'm building just out of town and I work on it every weekend. Last night I got a chance to look at some equipment and that's where I went, then I spent the night at my place. I sure did miss your cooking. If you wanted, I'd like to try and figure it out so you and me can talk sometimes. Sincerely, Daryl Dixon._ "

As she pushes the breakfast cart into the room she glances right at him, gives him a shy smile and a slight nod of the head and he smiles back. Happy in knowing exactly what she's telling him.

That's all that had to happen to make his morning perfect, but the big fluffy biscuits with sausage gravy sure do add to his happiness. Finally, a pretty smile and a decent meal.

For the rest of the week it's just them making eyes at each other and exchanging shy smiles, there never seems to be a chance to talk. But after the evening meal on Friday he lingers at the table until she come to clear it, then quietly he whispers, "Sorry, I'ma miss breakfast in the mornin'. I got some things I gotta do at my place. I'll be back Sunday afternoon."

She's smiling but she looks sad when she whispers, "Okay. I'll miss seeing you."

He almost doesn't say it but he's needs to quit being such a chicken. He needs to let her know his heart, "I'll miss you too."

The next morning he leaves at five, but he's not heading straight to the farm. If that was the case he wouldn't leave until after six. Instead he's going out to his place first, taking a chance the old blowhard will be there.

Sure enough Merle's there. He's got a small campfire going and the old coffee pot is sitting in the hot coals doing its job. Merle's all smiles as he stands and takes a drink from his mug, "Hey little brother, just in time ta have ya a cup."

Daryl gets down from the truck and Merle's got a wide grin on his face as he claps him on the upper arm and smiles, "Missed ya kid."

Daryl replies, "Missed ya too brother, how ya doin'?"

"Well if by 'How ya doin?' you're really askin' if I'm smokin' the weed or tokin' on the pipe, the answer's no. I ain't done either a them things in more'n six months. Not since I got me a woman who won't tolerate that shit." He laughs that big laugh of his before adding, "I'm just glad she don't care if I nip at a little hooch now and then."

Daryl smiles and shakes his head when he teases, "Shit, you mean ta tell me Merle Dixon got hisself bit by the love bug?"

"It sure seems that way little brother and the strangest thing is, I ain't even complainin'."

Daryl nods, "Lemme get a cup ta take, you're goin' with me. We got work ta do brother."

Once at the farm the four men first get the hand tools and other smaller items loaded in the back of Daryl's truck, then manage to get all the larger items on the farmer's flatbed.

They arrive at his place and Daryl excuses himself, disappearing inside for a few minutes. When he returns he gives the farmer his payday and the man is happy and grateful. Daryl's all smiles himself. He's now got just about everything he needs to finish his place. All that's left is to get a few cans of paint, some kitchen items, a little more furniture and he'll be done.

The brothers work all afternoon getting the new purchases organized and where they need to be. They get the furniture in the house and place the boiler, generator and mechanical pump in the big cinderblock well house. Lastly, they get the lumber and piping neatly sorted and stacked.

It's a big job and Daryl knows if Merle wasn't around he'd have had to hire someone to help with all the heavy lifting. Hell, it was all the two of them could do to get the generator moved. Thank God there's one thing Merle's always had, a strong back. That's Daryl's thought when Merle turns to him and asks, "So little brother, do ya ever feed the help? Or do ya just work em til they die?"

Daryl manages to keep a straight face when he answers, "I work em til they die." Then he claps Merle on the back and says, "C'mon brother, I'm hungry as a bear myself. We'll get sumthin' at the café then I need ta get some food for around this joint, the cupboard's bare."

It's over Salisbury steaks at a small café that Merle suggests, "So brother, me n my gal plan ta move over this way. I got a line on a few jobs in Atlanta I'm tryin' for. I already been to a couple this past week and they told me I had a shot and ta check back this comin' week. Whaddya say ya lemme hang my hat here at your place for a week or so? I'll get that boiler and steam generator runnin' for ya while I'm here."

It's the kind of work his brother does, when he has a real job. Daryl knows Merle knows his stuff and would do it right. It's just that Merle's history has him feeling skittish.

Merle reads the two distinct looks in Daryl's eyes. On the one hand his brother is real interested. But he sees that worried look too. He understands why, Daryl knows the kind of trouble he can get in.

Merle tries to put his mind at ease, "Hey brother, I'm serious when I tell ya I turned over that new leaf. This gal I'm with means everythin' ta me and I been likin' livin' this life with her. I ain't gonna let her down and I damn sure ain't gonna let you down no more. I'll do like I said I would," He pauses and chuckles then adds, "and I ain't gonna be tearin' the place up lookin' for your stash a cash."

Daryl has to laugh out loud at that, "Brother, you wouldn't find nuthin'. That farmer got the last a my money."

"Well ya got some real good stuff kid."

Then Daryl nods, "Yeah, stay a week, then we'll see. It's just you, right?"

"Don't worry bout that, I got my gal and her little girl safely tucked away in Valdosta til I get situated here in Atlanta."

Daryl nods, "Okay then. Let's finish up here. We gotta get ta the grocery before it closes. I ain't got any food at my place."

As Daryl's picking out a variety of canned goods Merle can't help teasing, "I see ya still ain't learned ta cook little brother. Maybe it's you that needs a woman."

Daryl shakes his head and tells him, "I can cook meat and when I get my place done that's what I'll be havin', fresh meat every day."

Merle shrugs and smiles when he responds, "If ya had a woman you could have some biscuits with that meat."

It's dusk by the time they're back at the place, the end of a long day. They get a little campfire going and Daryl asks, "So ya say ya still enjoy a nip?"

"Yeah, I could force down a snort or two. You make it?"

"Yep n I done pretty good with this batch. Makin' hooch is the one handy thing I learned from our old man."

Daryl can't help wondering what's going on, Merle's never been serious about a woman before. He always seemed to have one around, but never the same one for long. Now that it seems he's all smitten Daryl's curiosity is piqued, and after a couple of nips he asks, "So, what makes this woman so special to ya?"

Merle shrugs and answers honestly, "I don't know that I could tell ya that brother. It's just a feelin' that came over me the first time I seen her and I still got it. I'd been livin' over near Columbus, gettin' in the usual trouble. But I did have a job and a little place. It was one a those big houses someone made into apartments. She lived in the one next door ta mine with her husband and daughter."

"Husband?"

"Yeah and a mean bastard he was. Not unlike our Daddy. Sumbitch would come home at night yellin' before he even walked in the door. You know how it is. Then one night he snapped completely. I guess you could say I snapped right along with him."

"I heard him over there, yellin', cussin', ugly name callin' and threats. It was when I started ta hear what sounded like furniture crashin' to the floor I decided I best go over there n put a stop to it. I opened my door and there's the little girl standin' there clutchin' her dolly. Tears were runnin' down her cheeks and she begged me, 'Please Mister, please don't let him hurt my Mama.'"

"That done it brother. I knew what I's gonna do. I told the little girl, 'get in my place and ya wait right there Missy,' and I stormed on over. He had her pinned to the floor, slappin' and chokin' her and punchin' her belly. I drug him off her, hollered at her ta get over ta my place with her girl, and then I proceeded ta beat him unconscious."

He takes another nip of the hooch, shrugs again and says, "I knew it was never gonna get no better brother. Only worse. You and me, we seen that. They never quit that shit. So I drug him out to my truck, drove him up in the hills and I put a stop to him for good."

Daryl's chewing his lip and nodding his head when he asks, "Then what?"

"When I got back ta my apartment the little girl was sound asleep on my sofa, her head on her Mama's lap. Her Mama's face was bruised and battered and the sight a that broke my heart. I told her, 'my name's Merle, yours?' She answered Carol. I said 'well Carol, you got a decision ta make, you can tell the cops I took your husband out, or you can wait a couple days and file a missin' person's report and tell the police ya think he left ya for another woman. When the rent comes due next week me, you and the little girl leave town. I'll take care a the two of ya."

"She looked at me for a long hard minute and said, 'I been wantin' ta move.' Shit brother, I fell in love right then."

Even Daryl can't help laughing over that, then he gets honest with his brother, "I ain't sayin' what ya done is right, but ya probably saved her and the girl. So now what?"

"There's a guy I know in Valdosta, he did some time in the slam but he turned it around and he's doin' real good. Him and his wife are lettin' Carol and the girl, her name's Sophia, stay with em while I find work and a place here."

He looks down a minute nods his head and looks back at Daryl, "It's a strange thing brother. I may not be the brightest man, but I'm a tough mutherfucker. She's a real tough little gal herself, but it seems that we need each other. And that little girl? She needs us both. I never had nuthin' like what I got with them, and I know I wanna keep it."

There's not a question in Daryl's mind, Merle's a whole lot different. Still he doesn't give in completely, there's too much history, "K, like I said, we'll see how it's goin' in a week." Then he side eyes his brother and asks, "How long have ya been stayin' here already?"

His brother laughs and says, "I've changed, but I ain't changed completely. Been stayin' here since Wednesday."

* * *

Merle insisted on buying the bacon and eggs and Daryl had no objection, "If you're cookin' em I'm eatin' em." So Sunday morning they share the breakfast and a pot of coffee, but no work. Daryl's decided to lay off the work for a day and go after a deer.

While he goes off hunting Merle heads to the pond, pole in hand.

Daryl's enjoying the cool morning air, walking the property and keeping a sharp eye out for game. He hasn't gone far when he spots a forked horn. The buck doesn't just represent good eating to him, it will also pay his rent for a week. He could really use it after all the money he just went through.

He quietly pulls an arrow from his quiver, nocks it and begins to pull the bowstring back. He focuses his gaze on the spot he wants to hit and lets the arrow fly, listening to the sound of the zing as it quickly soars through the air and the animal topples over.

Food is food and a man can't get all sentimental about shit like that, but still he walks to the deer, kneels next to the animal and softly rubs an open palm along its side saying, "Hey fella, sorry."

He's been hunting for his food since he was a kid and it's second nature as he methodically cares for his kill. He moves quickly because of the heat, using a rope to hang the animal from a fat tree limb. He dresses out the deer, skins it then slips a cheesecloth bag over it to discourage insects.

That's about the time Merle shows up with a fat stringer of fish and says, "Hey, lemme help ya brother." Daryl explains to him the deal he has with Horvaths and Merle nods, "Sounds good. There's a lotta good meat runnin' around this property."

"I'll leave the heart and liver for ya, that's some good eatin'."

"You bet, I appreciate it brother."

They carry the animal to his truck and Daryl hurries to wash the blood from his hands and arms, then tells Merle, "I gotta get this to em before it gets warm. I'll come over one night this week and check on ya."

"I wish you would, I always did need one a them babysitters."

The brothers shake hands and Daryl gets on the road. He's anxious to get the animal butchered and in a cool refrigerator.

He turns onto the street and just as he hoped he would, he sees her sitting on the front porch reading her book. He pulls up to the curb, steps out of the truck and they're both all smiles when he tells her, "Got a nice buck in the back. Be some good eatin' for the house."

She smiles at the sight of him, but she's not sure of the right thing to do, "That's wonderful. Why don't you drive around to the back porch entrance, I'll meet you there. Mister and Missus Horvath are in their sitting room and I should let them know."

He drives around to the back, hops out of his truck again and is just opening the baker doors when Beth and the Horvaths come out to see the animal.

Mrs. Horvath's hand is clutching her throat as she says, "It's a fine animal Mister Daryl but this is the Lord's Day. I don't think we should be butchering animals today."

He replies, "Well it's too hot ta leave the animal sit, the meat'll spoil. If we ain't gonna butcher it, I'll have ta hurry and take it back out ta my place and start saltin' it down."

Mister Horvath gently reminds his wife, "Dear Heart, you know that animal would make several meals for the house."

Beth is focused on the disappointment in Daryl's face when Miss Olivia's words come back to her. She spoke of the sin of wastefulness when Beth was reluctant to take the gift of shoes. What the young woman can't believe now is the way she opens her mouth and speaks similar words herself, "I don't mean to show you any disrespect Miss Erma, but I would venture to say that the Lord has given us the wonderful gift of food to feed hungry men. Which is the greater sin? To let all this meat be wasted? Or to take advantage of His gift and praise Him for his blessings?"

Everyone's looking at her a little stunned and she adds, "Of course you and Mister Horvath wouldn't have to lift a finger. I'm very familiar with butchering animals and I would be more than happy to assist Mister Daryl."

Miss Erma is about to object but Mister Dale is thinking about eating venison roast. He turns to his wife before she can speak and says, "I do believe Miss Beth has a point Dear Heart. You go back to the room now and return to your reading. I'll be there in just a moment."

As soon as his wife leaves the kitchen Mister Dale instructs, "You put the good scrap in the big white bowl that has a lid and store it in the outside refrigerator. In the morning I'll get some suet from the butcher and Miss Beth, you and I will make burger, maybe even some sausage."

Then he looks at Daryl and instructs, "Young man, I expect you to behave like a gentleman with Miss Beth or you'll answer to me. And don't let her work too hard, that's all the poor girl ever does around here is work."

Daryl's not certain what to say but he assures the man, "Yessir, I know she's a lady and I'll be doin' most all work, ya got my word."

Mister Horvath has returned to his room, the animal's laying on the big table top, Daryl's got his knives and he and Beth are standing side by side ready to begin the work. Daryl turns his gaze to her and says, "You sure do have a way of convincin' folks." Then he smiles and asks, "I wouldn't a thought it, but you've had a lotta experience butcherin meat, huh?"

She smiles and says, "Oh, no. None at all. I only said I'm _familiar_ with it. I've never actually done it nor have I ever watched it being done. I was always afraid it might make me queasy." Then those beautiful blue eyes look right into his and she says, "I just wanted to spend some time with you."

He's smiling and he gets a little fresh, softly bumping his shoulder into hers when he says, "Sounds alright to me. I wanted your company a lot more than your help."

00

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well that's a lot to think about, and what's next? Please leave a comment and let me know your thoughts. I'll be back next Friday with a new chapter of The Stranger Upstairs and I hope you'll be here too! Until then remember, I love ya large! xo gneebee


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much everyone! I guess we'd better get this deer butchered. This chapter we'll see our couple get to know each other a little better, and a big decision will be made.

00

He's all smiles but she's as red as a cherry. She knows the way his shoulder softly bumped hers was no accident. Although it really wasn't too forward, not really. The gesture was more playful than flirtatious, but what he said…and oh my goodness what she admitted.

Even though he can't believe he just did what he did and said what he said, he's glad he did.

He's still smiling, maybe that's why she's not so sure if he's making fun of her or if he really meant those words. Maybe that's why she gets a little sassy. Her hands are on her hips and there's no hint of a smile from her when she tells him, "For your information Mister Dixon, I'm a very fast learner. All you have to do is explain how you want me to help and I'm sure I won't have any difficulty."

His smile doesn't fade, in fact it may have even grown larger when he suggests, "How bout while I'm cuttin' up this meat you sing me some a them songs of yours?"

She's surprised by his request, he doesn't seem like the sort who enjoys worship music so she asks, "Really? I wasn't sure you liked my singing."

He shrugs, "Why wouldn't I? It's better'n anythin' they got on the radio."

Although his words are sweet she's feeling a little disappointed. She always enjoys singing, but she was looking forward to having this time with him. She asks again, "So instead of me helping with the work, you prefer I go to the sitting room, play piano and sing while you're in here doing all of it?"

The last thing he wants is for her to leave the room, that isn't what he meant at all. He was looking forward to having this time with her. It's a way for them to be together without worrying about rules. He quickly shakes his head and makes it clear, "No, I's hopin' you'd stay in here with me. Can ya just sit there on the stool or sumthin'? Do ya need the piano?"

That's better, at least she'll be in the same room with him even if they're not talking. "Yes of course." As she seats herself on the kitchen stool she asks another question. She's been curious about something for a while, "Do you attend services Mister Daryl?"

Before he answers her he has a question of his own, "Do ya think you could just call me Daryl when no one else is around? And maybe agree I could call ya Beth? Is that all right?"

He's surprised that his suggestion makes her blush, but she sure does look pretty with that pink in her cheeks as she quietly answers, "Yes, yes, I think that would be all right."

He's suddenly looking a little shy himself as he shrugs and answers her question, "I never did go ta church growin' up, we wasn't that kind of family. Things changed when I went in the army, the Sarge made us all go ta chapel every Sunday. He said it builds character. Some guys were real glad ta have the chance, some didn't wanna go at all. As for me, I didn't mind and it didn't matter anyway, we didn't have a choice."

"Later, when I was fightin' overseas the chaplain had some kind of service or prayer meeting whenever he could, wherever he could. I's like every other soldier I served with, I went when I's able. We all seemed to need it then, but truth is I ain't been ta church since."

Every time he tells her a little something about himself it seems to bring up a new question, "You fought in The Great War?"

"I did."

Her Mama would be ashamed of her prying in this way, but she can't seem to stop herself, and worse, after she makes the statement she realizes she was even quite insulting, "I didn't think you were that old."

At first her words surprise him, then he begins to quietly laugh before answering, "I'm old as dirt, a regular dinosaur." He can see she's embarrassed and he doesn't want her to be. He wants this to be a time for them to get to know each other a little, so he states the simple facts, "I joined the army when I's 15, the war ended when I was 18. I'm 28 now."

She can't believe she still doesn't stop herself, but she just wants to know everything about him she can, "Isn't 15 quite young to join the army? I thought a man had to be 18."

He shrugs and tells her the truth, "That's the rule, but I guess I didn't pay much attention ta rules back then. I mighta fudged a little."

She only nods and he decides, what the hell? He wants to know things too and it was her who started this, so he asks, "How old are you Beth?"

"I'm 18. I'm also very sorry to be prying this way. I realize I've been quite rude Daryl."

Young, shit she's so young.

He shrugs, "Ya ain't rude, you're the same as me. I wanna know about you too."

There's a slight smile on her lips when she nods and says, "I see, well I should just quit talking and start singing. Um, you are aware the only type of songs I sing are hymns, aren't you?"

He figured that was the case, that's all he's ever heard from her. And anyway, he can't imagine her singing jazz or swing in some smoky speakeasy. He shrugs when he tells her, "That's okay by me, I could probably do with hearin' that kinda thing more often." It's not the words or the tune, it's her sweet voice he cares to hear.

She softly smiles and begins to sing a favorite hymn of hers, pleased to see he seems to be enjoying it. Yet, she does feel a little silly singing worship music as she watches him expertly, and seemingly effortlessly, butcher the animal.

Worse is the way she's thinking about him while singing a song of praise. She can't seem to help herself though, she's completely taken by how manly and capable he is, and handsome. My goodness, it's hard to decide which is his most impressive feature.

Is it the blue of his eyes? Or maybe his strong jaw? Maybe. But she's never seen the like of shoulders as broad as his, or such muscled arms and powerful hands. Oh dear. Shame on her, instead of thinking about such things she should be thinking about the blessing of this bounty. The buck will feed the house very well for more than a week. It's truly a gift.

Him doing all the work is still bothering her. She wants to help him like she said she would. With that in mind, after three songs she takes a break from her singing. It seems like time to begin wrapping the meat and she can certainly handle that part of the job.

She tears off several sheets of the butcher paper and he points to where the already cut meat is waiting, telling her, "All the cuts on this end a the table are ready ta go. You decide how ya wanna portion it out. I never cooked for more'n two at a time. I wouldn't know how ya figure the amount ya need for a meal around here."

Two? Hmm. But she can't dwell on those things right this minute. He's here with her now and there's work to do. She picks up a roast and is just about to wash it off in the sink when he tells her, "Nah, it's best ya wait and wash it just before you're gonna cook it. The meat stays better that way. Besides, it's clean, I'm careful about that stuff."

Once again she worries she may have offended him, "It's not that it doesn't look clean. I just assumed rinsing it off was the right thing to do. I had no idea."

She's acting like she did something wrong and he doesn't want her to feel that way at all, so he teases, "A course ya didn't Beth. Why would you know? You ain't ever really done this stuff, you're just _familiar_ with it."

She likes the way her name sounds when it's him who says it, she even likes the way he teases her. She giggles softly and says, "Stop, Daryl."

He likes the way his name sounds when it's her sweet voice saying it. But there's something worrisome on his mind. It's not store bought meat, it's wild game and he feels the need to tell her, "Besides bein' clean, the meat tastes good. The buck was eatin' right and I took care of gettin' it cleaned and skinned in a hurry. There's no gaminess to it either."

She thinks he might be teasing her again, "How could you possibly know how the meat tastes?"

He's so matter-of-fact when he answers, "When I's done guttin' it I cut off a chunk and tasted of it."

Her hand instantly covers her mouth and there's a horrified look in her eyes when she asks, "You mean you ate a piece of raw bloody meat?"

Her expression is all it takes for him to know, it's something this woman would never think to do. Maybe he shouldn't have said anything. It also turns up a long-ago memory and he knows; he best never tell her about the time he was so hungry he killed a squirrel and ate it raw.

All he says is, "Yeah, I just had a little taste. I wanted ta make sure it was good enough for you ta eat."

Her horrified expression once again turns to a shy smile and a blush comes to her cheek when she tells him, "Well thank you but it really wasn't necessary."

It's probably best to switch the subject and he asks, "Ya plannin' ta make bone broth or should I just get rid a the bones?"

"Bone broth? Is it like boiling chicken or turkey bones for soup?"

"Well, I ain't ever done it myself." He admits to her, "I ain't much of a cook. But what I been told is ya simmer the bones in a big pot and if ya leave just a little meat on em that's even better. I heard all day is best, from breakfast time ta dinner time. It's s'posed ta be real good for makin' stew and soup n such."

"That sounds like a wonderful idea. Yes, I'd like to try that."

He nods, and says, "Okay, best ones would probably be ribs, and neck, maybe shoulder. I don't think ya want them long bones unless you was cookin' in a big ol pot outside. That might be fun ta try sometime." He almost said "we could do it at my place," thank God he caught himself. He doesn't want to scare her off being too forward.

He's done with the cutting before she's done with the wrapping. He picks up the wax pencil and handing it to her says, "How bout I take over the wrapping part and you be the one who writes on the package? Your writin' looks a lot better'n mine."

That's when she gets daring and tells him, "Speaking of writing, I appreciate the note you wrote me so much, I even have it saved." Her cheeks flush and she doesn't quite look in his eyes when she adds, "I think your handwriting is very nice."

He can't believe what he just heard, she saved his note. Her words have his heart thumping, and her being so honest has him doing the same, "Even though I didn't care much for what it said, I saved the one you wrote me too. Just cuz it came from you."

They've shared what seems like such a simple moment, but for them it's powerful. They were honest and confessed feelings, each giving the other a little window into their heart. Something neither has ever done with anyone else.

They don't speak of it further, they need this time to think and feel, and they're both wondering what should or could happen next. For now the easiest thing is to simply continue their work as they attempt to absorb the full meaning of the moment.

When the wrapping's done and the meat and scrap are safely stored in the refrigerators, Beth begins to clean up the mess they've made. He asks, "Tell me where I can find more rags n I'll help ya?"

She's been cleaning up after men her whole life and she's a little surprised, "You clean?"

He looks at her and laughs a little when he says, "Let's just say I'm _familiar_ with it."

She's trying not to laugh when she shakes her head and tells him, "Stop Daryl."

He explains, "I been on my own for a lotta years Beth, if I didn't clean up after myself no one else would either." She only smiles while fighting the urge to admit she would happily clean up after him.

By the time they've completed the task it's close to seven in the evening. He looks at her and says, "Thanks for all the help Beth, and the company. That was the best part. I never had such a good time cuttin' up a deer."

She smiles when she responds, "Thank you Daryl, I learned a lot from you today, now I'm even more familiar with butchering animals."

He smiles but looks a little reluctant when he says, "I best get upstairs and get my bath, tomorrow's gonna be a long Monday."

"Oh, yes, me too. Well goodnight then Daryl."

He begins to turn toward the stairs, then stops himself. When he pivots back his expression has become so serious, but the look in his eyes is tender. He glances down for just a moment and his fingertips gently brush along the back of her hand.

She feels her heart begin to beat faster as he takes a breath, nodding his head ever so slightly and in a soft voice he whispers the words, "I'm hopin' someday you'll let me kiss ya Beth."

She's unable to speak, all she can do is stare. And then he's gone.

* * *

Once in the bathroom he stands naked in the tub, rinsing himself off before he begins to fill it with water. It's been a long weekend of work and there's plenty of dirt and grime to wash away. Suddenly he realizes something and his shoulders slump. Dammit, he's filthy and he probably reeks to high heaven.

He didn't even think to concern himself with that earlier. Shit, there he was talking about kissing her and she probably couldn't wait for him to leave the room.

She's so sweet and so pretty and feminine, and there he was all big and awkward and smelling like a goat. Shit, if he would have just gone ahead and kissed her she would have probably punched him right in the nose. The picture of that almost succeeds in lightning his mood. She'd be the cutest person to ever take a swing at him.

He goes through the routine of taking his bath, trimming his hair and his facial hair, and finally brushing his teeth. He's performing all the necessary motions, not giving a conscious thought to any of it. His mind is consumed with thoughts of her and wondering how he can manage to have more time with her.

She takes her things in the bathroom, washes her face and applies her night cream. She brushes her teeth slips on her gown and then stops, letting out a sad little sigh as she takes a long look at herself in the mirror. Oh my how she wishes he would have just kissed her, admitting to herself she would allowed him the liberty of doing so. After all, how could she possibly push him away when she's been longing to feel his lips on hers?

Shame on her, she's not supposed to be thinking such things or longing for some man to kiss her. She's being just awful, but she can't seem to help herself. She doesn't care that it's too soon or that it may not be proper, or that he would be far too bold in assuming she would welcome such a gesture. It doesn't matter to her that it wouldn't be right, and she's sure she would have liked it. Very much.

Never could she have imagined herself being attracted to a man who looks to be such a ruffian, but now that she knows him better she knows the truth. Daryl Dixon is so good and such a gentleman. He's also quite humorous and oh so manly. She thinks it's the perfect combination.

She's made herself blush thinking about how much she would have liked to kiss him back. But she has to try not to think of such things right now. She needs to get herself to bed, he's right, tomorrow's Monday and that means a big workload. And it's not just the usual tasks, there's venison burger to be made.

She lays in her bed with her book, and she's gotten through three pages before realizing she has no idea what she's read. How can she absorb the words in the book when all she can think about is him, and how much she wishes spending time with him were not against the rules?

Once back in his room he remembers, the diary. He removes it from the drawer, sits at the small desk and writes about his brother's arrival and of the work that was done this weekend. Although he gets everything carefully notated, none of it is what his mind is really on. It seems no matter what else he may be doing he's always consumed with thoughts of her.

He's worked hard all weekend and sleep comes quickly, but it's not a peaceful sleep. It's the kind of restless night where a person tosses and turns and has crazy dreams. He doesn't usually remember dreaming at all, and the dream he has this night is one he hopes to quickly forget.

He and Beth are in some strange house, trapped by terrible looking creatures that are trying to kill them. He tells her to hurry and go, to run and he'll find her later. She protests that she will never leave him, but he insists and finally she climbs out the window. When he's fought and killed all the creatures, and the coast is clear he hurries to find her, but she's nowhere to be seen. There's only a car that's driving off. Someone has taken her.

He runs and runs all night long until he collapses to the ground, unable to run any further. When he jerks awake at two a.m. his body is covered with perspiration, and his sheets are a tangled and knotted mess. Shit, never has he had a nightmare so intense, and he can still feel the terrible fear and hurt of having lost her.

The dream spurs him into action. He goes to the bureau, once again retrieving his work diary. He nods to himself, yes, if he wants to have her in his life then something has to be done, and it's up to him to be the one who takes this step. He tears a sheet from the back of the book and he writes to her. Although the note is brief, the question may turn out to be the most important question he's ever asked anyone.

His throat is parched and his face feels hot, he'll get a drink of cold water, maybe even hold his head under the tap for a minute or two. He needs to cool down and calm down, he needs to get back to sleep.

He's aware it's the middle of the night, and living in a house with so many who are trying to sleep he does his best to be courteous. He barely makes a sound walking to the bathroom, and he's just as quiet on his way back. He's sure no one could have possibly heard him and then, just as his hand goes to his door he hears a door open at the end of the hall. Eric's room.

The man must be having the same kind of night he's having. Poor guy. Then he sees Aaron step through the door, and a half second after him is Eric. He's certain neither man is at all aware of his presence, they're too focused on each other.

The two men share an obviously romantic embrace and tender kiss and Daryl only wants to hurry into his own room unnoticed. He's successful in quietly turning the doorknob, but as the door opens another damn hinge squeaks.

Daryl looks anxiously toward Eric's room hoping it was unheard by anyone but him, but no. He's looking into the face of panic. Aaron seems frozen. Daryl doesn't know what the hell to say so he doesn't speak, he simply nods his head in a kind of awkward greeting and quickly enters his room. Damn.

He's not completely shocked. There was a time he might have been, but that was long ago. Back when he was growing up he heard about this kind of going's on, but he didn't believe it. Even when Merle told him he'd seen that kind of thing in jail, Daryl didn't believe his brother, he was always making up stories. It was when he went in the army he learned it was true. There really are men who love other men.

At first he wasn't sure what to think about that, he knew he'd never be interested in such a thing for himself, and he was confused by all of it. Then something happened that cleared his head on the subject for good.

They were locked in an especially brutal and bloody battle when he watched with horror, deep gratitude and an abundance of respect as one of "those kinds" of men sacrificed his own life to save his fellow soldiers. The young private threw himself on an enemy grenade and it was a sight Daryl knows he'll never forget. It was also the moment in his life when Daryl knew, it's only the character of a man that matters, not who he might love.

It must be sheer exhaustion that allows him to fall back to sleep and when he wakes he has to pause and think a minute, did that really happen? Yeah, it really did.

He puts the denim work shirt on and quickly buttons it, pulls the overalls up and buttons them at the waist, last he hooks the buckles on the shoulder straps. He gets into his work books, laces them up, and the final thing he does has him feeling a case of nerves. He carefully folds the note he wrote her and slips it in his pocket.

He only intends to make a quick stop in the bathroom to do what he has to do then wash his hands and brush his teeth. But he's barely set foot outside his door when Aaron approaches him, it's obvious he's been waiting.

The man starts to say, "Hey, please…"

Daryl stops him, shaking his head side to side when he says, "If I was ta have seen anythin', and I don't recall that I did, it wouldn't be any business of mine or my place ta tell."

A grateful smile crosses Aaron's face and Daryl could swear the man's eyes are glistening with tears when he whispers, "Thanks." Daryl knows full well why the man is so relieved. If Daryl was to tell Horvaths what he saw Aaron and Eric would no doubt lose their rooms here. There's even a chance word would get out and they'd lose their jobs. Unless some hateful assholes beat them to death first. It happens that way.

Again Daryl's the first one down the stairs, and again he's the last one at the table because he's lying in wait for her, just like the other morning. When she comes through the kitchen doorway with the pot of coffee in her hand he whispers, "Beth."

This time when she turns to glance his way there's a smile on her lips. He smiles back as he walks toward her and slyly slips the note in her apron pocket before hurrying to the table.

The other men are all seated and he sees where his place is. The only empty spot at the table, the chair next to Aaron. As he sits he also notices someone has poured his water and orange juice, he's sure he knows who it was. He nods at the man and Aaron nods back, and the other man, Eric, nods to him from across table.

She greets the men with a cheerful good morning, sets the coffee at the center of the table and hurries away, more so to read the note than in a rush to get their breakfast. She stops the second she gets in the sitting room and snatches the note from her apron pocket.

Her hand is laying on her chest and her mouth agape as she reads his words, _"Dear Beth, I want to be with you more, every chance I get I want to spend my time with you. If you want to take a chance and break the rules give me some kind of sign. I'll think of a way. Sincerely, Daryl Dixon."_

A few minutes later she's back, pushing the breakfast cart to the table. Before Abraham can even think about getting up from his seat Daryl's already lifting the big bowl of grits from the cart. She smiles and thanks him and as she sets the rest of the food on the table she says, "Oh, and Mister Daryl, that question you asked? I checked on that for you and the answer is yes."

00

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed the chapter and that you'll leave a comment. I'll be back next Friday with a new chapter of The Stranger Upstairs and I hope you'll be here too! Until then remember, I love ya large! xo gneebee


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks you guys! Well now, an agreement to get a little sneaky has been reached. Will they be able to pull off a secret rendezvous? We're going to find out this chapter :)

00

Oh my goodness, she can't believe she just said "yes" to breaking the rules with Daryl. And she did it with a smile on her face, and right in front of the other men. Her heart is pounding so hard it's frightening, her face feels like it's on fire, and there doesn't seem to be enough air in the room for her to get a good breath.

It's all worth it for the way he's looking at her now, with a sparkle in his blue eyes and that crooked little smile on his lips. It causes her heart to simply melt and it's like she's completely lost all of her good sense. Then he makes her tummy flutter even more when she hears that manly voice of his say the words, "Okay, thanks for checkin' Miss Beth, that's the answer I's hopin' for."

She seems to have so quickly forgotten about propriety and the many lessons her Mama taught her, and Miss Erma's warnings concerning men. They're the furthest thing from her mind as the happiest of feelings washes over her. She's more convinced each day that the two of them, her and Daryl, are meant to be.

Perhaps if the men at the table weren't so busy gobbling down their grits and pancakes they'd notice the look that has just been shared between the hired girl and their fellow boarder. But only one man has seen the truth in the seemingly innocent exchange.

Aaron doesn't miss how the often rough-looking fellow sitting next to him seems to suddenly appear softer, gentler. Or how Miss Beth has that unmistakable look of fascination in her eyes.

He smiles to himself as it occurs to him, he and Eric aren't the only couple living at Horvath's with secrets.

When it's time for him to leave for work Daryl can hardly bring himself to go. What he really wants to do is spirit her away. He'd like to take her for a ride out to his place, he'd like to hold her hand as they walk and talk. If everything were to go just right, maybe he'd finally get that kiss.

As he's walking out the door she's wishing she could call after him, "Wait, wait, please don't leave me here Daryl. I'll go anywhere with you, please just don't leave me."

Of course, it can't really happen that way, they both realize that. Still it's so pleasant to imagine these things, even if just for a moment. For now though, this is Monday and it's time for the workday to begin in earnest.

She's got the bone broth cooking on the stove and she's added a few other ingredients to the large pot. There are some carrots that haven't exactly gone bad, but they also aren't looking quite good enough to serve. There's some celery that has suffered a similar fate, along with onion and parsnips. All these things should help flavor up the broth even more.

For now, she leaves the pot to simmer and goes about her chore of cleaning up the breakfast dishes and wiping down the countertops, while Daryl drives through the city to his job site. He only stops for two things, traffic signals and his usual Monday morning visit to the Chinese laundry to drop off his bag of dirty clothes and collect the blue box with his clean things.

While Beth hurries to complete her kitchen chores Mister Horvath makes the short trip to see the butcher, and by the time Beth has the dishes done and the counters wiped he's back with the suet. What with venison having no fat running through the meat, when ground up it can't be used quite like ground beef; the texture and the flavor just won't be right.

He's returned with more than enough suet to compensate, they could easily make the mix 70 / 30, but Beth convinces him that won't do. Even at 80 / 20 so much will cook away. "Okay young lady we'll do it your way, now let's make some venison burger."

He clamps the heavy steel grinder to the edge of the big worktable, and she sets a good-sized rectangular pan below to catch the finished burger. Mister Dale has a smile on his face as he chooses the blade for a medium grind and shares with her, "I worked in a butcher shop when I was a kid and I always did like this part."

Once it's all assembled Beth goes to the fridge to retrieve the bowl of meat and begins to portion the meat and fat. She adds it into the grinder, tamping it down with the stomper, while Mister Dale turns the crank to grind everything together.

The job goes quickly, there isn't a great deal of scrap meat and when they're done, Beth weighs the meat on the kitchen scale and portions it before wrapping in the butcher paper. The grand total is four and three quarter pounds. That's wonderful, she can stretch it into two hearty dinner casseroles, and one tasty breakfast casserole. The men are always pleased to have a little meat at the morning meal.

As she cleans the mess they made she asks herself an age old question, why does the cleanup always seem to take so much longer than the work itself? Darn, and she's already running behind schedule. Any other day that wouldn't be such a worry, it would only mean she didn't have any free time in the afternoon.

Today is different though, today it's a big concern for Beth. She wants that free time. She wants an opportunity to freshen up before dinner, when she'll be seeing a certain someone. That's all it takes, just the thought of seeing Daryl this evening sends a little thrill through her, and she can't help smiling to herself.

She grabs her bucket with the cleaning supplies, a few extra rags and the carpet sweeper and hurries to the upstairs bathroom. Alone with her cleaning her mind again wanders to thoughts of him. What does he have in mind for a meeting place? How can they possibly find a way to see one another? Beth has no idea, she only knows what he said in his note, that he'll figure it out. She believes him. He seems able to manage whatever he sets out to do.

Her biggest concern is, how will they avoid being discovered?

* * *

For Daryl this is a big and worrisome day on the job. They've been installing new pumps at the treatment plant and today's the day they'll make the big switch. They'll shut down the old pumps while simultaneously powering up the new pumps.

All the work appears to be done and done correctly, but there's always a concern that somewhere in the system there will be a hitch. So, even though they've checked and double checked everything, he's doing it all again. Examining every electrical connection, every adapter, every tube fitting, and every pump setting, one more time.

Even with all the fretting over the installation, all the checking and the fear that something will malfunction and cause the entire City of Atlanta drinking water system to shut down; none of those concerns are enough to keep his mind off her.

He's well-aware of the mistake he made. When he got his bright idea in the middle of the night he didn't do enough thinking and planning. He was too busy imagining spending time with her and thinking about how badly he wanted that. He had no inclination toward practical thoughts. During those wee hours his mind seemed to be consumed only with thoughts of holding her, maybe even kissing her, of keeping her safe and always close to him. He wasn't thinking about the "how" of it, or the consequences if they were caught. He thinks of it now. Getting caught wouldn't affect him much, he'd come out just fine. But what about her? Shit.

Maybe he should have given the practicality of his request a little more thought. How in the world are they going to manage this tryst? He's never done anything even remotely like this, and he'd bet his land and everything he's put into it that she's never been so daring. He's mad at himself for not considering it all more carefully before putting pen to paper.

The hard truth is, there isn't even the beginnings of a plan. He's usually a lot more thoughtful in what he does, instead he acted on impulse and he fully understands why, he was fueled by the emotion that consumed him when he woke from the terrible dream. A dream where he lost her.

Then it comes to him. It's not much, not some date or even something romantic, just maybe a chance to at least share a few minutes together, and very soon. Just maybe, while they're together they can work on another plan. Hopefully she'll think that idea is all right.

Daryl holds his breath as the old pumps are powered down and the new, more efficient ones take over. He breathes a deep sigh of relief when the system immediately kicks back in and does what it's meant to do. It's running smoother and at higher capacity. It will handle the ever-increasing demand for clean drinking water as more and more people move to the city.

His lunch break comes and he walks to the outdoor employee common area, choosing to sit at a table alone. It's as he's eating that he writes her another note, accidentally dripping a little jelly from his sandwich onto the paper. He cusses under his breath, wipes the paper along his pant leg, and decides the purple stain isn't all that bad, it's hardly noticeable. Besides, there's no time to start writing all over again.

* * *

She's so far off her routine she'll never have time to freshen up before she serves his dinner, well everyone's dinner. There's nothing to be done about it, she's aware the inconvenience to her doesn't matter. She was raised in a household where everyone had a job to do and work always came first. Still, she sure wishes there was just one more hour in this day for her.

For now, she concentrates on the tasks at hand. Mister Dale brings the Vacuette up the stairs and she finishes her cleaning there. She runs the carpet sweeper over the front stairs and the backstairs, Mister Dale brings the Vacuette down and she vacuums the downstairs. Then she has her lunch.

She doesn't take long with it, she needs to get the venison roast in the oven, she wants to cook it slow. She wants Daryl to be pleased with the way she's prepared it.

She puts the meat in the big cast iron roaster and surrounds it with cut potatoes, carrots and white onions. It looks pretty but it needs a little something. Just like the burger, the roast has no fat. She doesn't want the meat to dry out or be too tough to chew, and she knows just what to do.

She makes a small and razor thin cut in the center of the roast and stuffs a bit of the suet in. She ladles bone broth over the meat and vegetables, adds a little seasoning and smiles at the thought, after cooking all afternoon it's bound to be tender and tasty. She covers the roaster with the big lid, and then attempts to lift it.

The pan all alone was heavy, and now filled with all that food it may be too heavy for her to handle. She feels as though she could probably get it in the oven, but she doesn't trust herself not to have an accident. She won't take a chance on dropping it and ruining Daryl's roast.

She can't ask Miss Erma for help, she's in her room resting and besides, she's no stronger than Beth. She hurries down the street to find Mister Dale, knowing that he's probably helping that young man with his automobile. She'll apologize for interrupting, explain the situation and ask for his help. She's certain he'll be good-natured about her request, he's always quite kind to her.

As she hurries along her way the streetcar comes down the tracks, and it causes an idea to come to her. Yes, it might work for a secret meeting. Maybe tomorrow at breakfast it will be her turn to slip Daryl a note. The thought has her cheeks flaming up, shame on her. A nice girl should not be planning secret meetings with a man. That's very true, however, the real truth of the matter is, she is so captivated with him she seems to have lost interest in what may or may not be proper.

* * *

He arrives home from work just in time to hurry up the stairs, wash up good, and head back down to dinner. The note is safely tucked in his pocket and he's decided that the moment there's an opportunity, he'll slip it to Beth.

He sits himself down at the table and its only seconds later she walks in the room pushing the dinner cart. He swears that smile of hers could light up the whole room when she tells the fellas, "Gentleman, we don't have chipped beef this evening, but I don't think you'll be disappointed."

As she lifts a huge platter from the top of the cart she tells them, "Mister Daryl had a successful day hunting yesterday and has been very generous in sharing his bounty with us. We have a venison roast and all the trimmings."

The men are all expressing gratitude to both her and Daryl, as immediately they begin to fill their plates. In the meantime, Beth sets a large bowl of gravy and a basket of dinner rolls at the end of the table closest to Daryl.

He makes as if he's helping her with the bowl, and he does do that, but at the same time he slips her the note. She's got the paper clutched firmly in her hand when she says, "Well gentleman, while you all enjoy your dinner I'll step in the sitting room and play a little music for you."

They all take a moment to smile and thank her again, while busily smothering their plates in gravy and preparing to devour the unexpected feast.

She quickly glances Daryl's way, smiling as she does, and the way he smiles back has her feeling whatever is in the note must be good news.

She sits at the piano, looks around just to be sure no one's watching, then reads what he wrote, "When you're done in the kitchen tonight, if you was to go out back for a breath of fresh air you'd find me waiting for you around the back of the shed. I'll be waiting there however long it takes."

She sings the hymn with a smile on her face while her heart beats double time to the music. A few minutes later, when she makes her way back in the dining room to clear the table, she's still smiling. She looks his way and attempts to be subtle as she gives him the slightest nod of her head.

The men have practically licked their plates clean and are complimenting the delicious dinner, thanking both her and Daryl again, and she tells them, "I'm so happy you liked the venison, we're going to be having quite a few dishes made with it this week, thanks to Mister Daryl and the buck. For now I'm on my way to the kitchen to get your dessert." It's the usual Monday night tapioca and no one's complaining. Miz Horvath is a master at making tapioca pudding.

He's enjoyed every morsel of the food she prepared, and even though it made him self-conscious, he's appreciated all the thanks he received. He loved listening to her pretty voice when she sang the hymn, but what he wants more than anything right now is to spend time with her behind the shed.

Tonight Beth has a little help cleaning the kitchen and that's a rarity. Mister Horvath tells her it's because he enjoyed his venison roast so much he felt he should offer. He doesn't say it's because he's a little worried about her tackling that heavy roasting pan. "I don't plan to help much young lady, but let me wash that roaster for you Beth, and whatever you do, don't tell Missus Horvath I know how," he chuckles.

Beth giggles too and tells him, "Thank you so much, it was the one thing I was dreading. My goodness it's heavy." Inside her tummy is doing flips, and it has nothing to do with Mister and Missus Horvath or the roasting pan. She's as nervous as a cat thinking about Daryl out there waiting for her. She knows he's been there quite some time already, she heard the hinge when he slipped out the side door.

As soon as Mister Horvath has the roaster clean, dry and returned to the cupboard, he smiles, "Well young lady I'd better get in there and get my beauty sleep. You have a pleasant evening."

"Thank you sir, you too."

She's finally off duty. She rushes into the bathroom, splashes a little cool water on her face, runs the brush through her hair, and then questions herself. What in the world is she doing? Has she lost her mind? Is she really going to risk her job for some man? No, not just for some man. For Daryl.

She's as quiet as a mouse as she steps first onto the back porch, then out the back door and into the yard. Thank goodness the glow of the streetlights is illuminating the yard enough for her to easily find her way to the back of the shed, and when she does, there he is. His face appears so happy when he whispers, "Beth, ya made it."

He doesn't bother to ask her permission, he simply takes her hand in his. She should probably mind, but she doesn't mind at all. Besides, his hand feels so strong and manly it sends a little tingle through her and she can't think quite straight.

She feels the heat in her cheeks as she leans her back against the shed and tells him, "I'm sorry it took me so long. I had a lot of dishes to do."

"I didn't mind waitin'. I knew you was busy and anyway, I woulda waited for ya all night Beth. I'm just sorry ya had ta work so hard."

She surprises herself and him even more when she admits, "The work wasn't so hard, but I was so anxious to join you."

His eyebrows raise just a little and his body moves closer to hers. Maybe he's too close, maybe she should back away. She can't back up though, the shed is right behind her and besides, she doesn't want to. This feels too good and no matter what may or may not be proper, it feels so right.

In a low whisper he says, "Thanks for meetin' me here Beth. I know this ain't exactly the best place a guy could invite a gal, but I didn't know where else we could go. All I knew was I just wanted ta spend time with ya."

She feels the warmth of his body and the warmth of his breath, and she's worried she might faint from the thrill of it. She tries to regain her composure. Keeping her voice at a whisper as she assures him, "This is fine, it's wonderful. I've wanted to spend time with you too Daryl, and anyway, it feels nice to be out here after working in the house all day."

His thumb is softly rubbing circles on the back of her hand and his clear blue eyes are gazing straight into hers. His look is so tender as he makes another bold move, a move she makes no effort to stop. His fingers are gently touching the curls that frame her face and he smiles when he says, "Ya sure are pretty Beth."

She casts her eyes down, feeling both embarrassed and pleased by his words. "Thank you, Daryl."

Judging by her reaction, he must have said the right thing. It encourages him to pay her another compliment, "And that was the best venison roast I ever ate, the gravy was so good I coulda drunk it."

She's all pink cheeks and a happy smile when she says, "Oh my, well thank you Daryl. I'm so happy you liked everything."

He's not shy at all about telling her, "You're a real good cook Beth, ya ain't ever fixed one dish I didn't like."

The more they talk the closer his body moves to hers, and now his cheek is so close to her cheek she's sure she feels the softness of his facial hair. She's already feeling almost dizzy from his words and actions when in that low whisper he says, "Maybe, if ya think it would be all right, we could just make it a habit ta meet out here in the evenings, just ta talk a few minutes before turnin' in."

She's appalled. Not just by his behavior, but by her own. Here she is hiding in the backyard shadows with a man she barely knows, and she's allowing him way too many liberties. And what about Daryl? What sort of gentleman is he to be so forward? And he's obviously quite presumptuous to think she would allow him such familiarity. Yet she has and she's happy she has. Oh my.

No, she was raised better than this, she simply can't allow this behavior to continue. She has to tell him no. But her heart seems to have a mind of its own, and she looks right back into his eyes and answers, "I would like that very much Daryl."

He can't believe it. None of it. He can't believe he's out here with this woman and he's being so bold with her, saying words he never dreamed of ever saying to anyone. What's come over him? He's talking sweet talk, paying complements, and holding her hand. Shit. He couldn't possibly be standing any closer, and the way he touched her pretty blonde hair…

Yeah but if we're going to talk about his behavior, he also has to wonder, what's come over her? He's certain this can't be her usual way. No. Not Beth.

He's looking in her eyes again when he questions, "Really Beth? Ya would?" Then his brow furrows and he says, "I can't meet ya here tomorrow though, right after dinner I gotta drive out ta my place and check on my brother. I might be out there a while."

Disappointment washes over her and to make matters worse, and much to her disgrace, the words just come right out of her mouth, "Oh. Well of course if you have to, but gosh I'll miss you." Mama would be horrified.

"So then Wednesday after dinner, right?" His voice is so hopeful.

She smiles, "Yes, Wednesday, just as soon as I'm done in the kitchen."

He gently squeezes her hand, "K, good. I'll look forward to it."

Then, oh my gosh doesn't she just make the boldest move of the evening, "I thought of a place we could meet Daryl. A place where I'm sure we'd be away from prying eyes."

His eyebrows raise and he has a smile on his lips when he asks, "Really? What place is that? Tell me."

She's mortified by her own behavior and concerned she might die of embarrassment, what is she proposing here? But she doesn't even try to stop herself, she wants to spend her time with him. "Well, I was thinking, you usually get home about mid-afternoon on Sunday, isn't that true?"

"Yeah, that's right."

"Well I thought this Sunday that maybe once you arrive I could just tell the Horvath's, just so they don't worry, that I'm going to ride the street car through the city, you know, to get out for a while. What I could do though, is get on the streetcar and ride it as far as the third stop on the line. There's a pretty little park there and I could get off the car and wait for you on a park bench. Maybe you'd want to drive there and meet me." She's embarrassed and mortified by the way she stumbles with her words, and the very idea that she would ask him such a thing at all.

Yet he's smiling and his body is now so close they're touching when he answers, "Yeah, yeah that'd be swell. Ain't anyone we know gonna be around, we could have a chance ta talk n such." Since when was he so big on talking? Never, except with her its different, and anyway, it's a chance to spend time with her.

She smiles and then a yawn escapes her. He touches her cheek when he says, "You're so tired. From what I seen all ya ever do is work. Ya best get yourself ta bed. I'll stay back here while ya go inside, make sure ya get in okay. I'll wait ten minutes or so before I slip in the side door."

That's when she feels his body leaning into hers completely, he's so close his whiskers are tickling her neck when he whispers in her ear, "I know I shouldn't be so forward with a woman like you Beth. I want ya ta know I got all the respect in the world for ya. It's just that, well the truth is I'm havin' trouble stoppin' myself. I just wanna be near ya, spend time with ya." He draws back, smiles and shrugs, "Anyway, ya best get ta bed girl. Thanks for spendin' your time with me."

She's trying to act calm but her heart is now racing and her whole body feels warm. She barely gets the words out, "Okay. Thank you, Daryl, have a good evening."

He lightly touches her cheek one more time and smiles when he says, "I just had a real good evenin' cuz a you, now go on in, ya need rest."

She walks no more than five feet when she turns to look at him once more, and that's all the encouragement he needs. He hurries to her, wraps her in his arms and as they share a warm embrace he whispers, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be actin' this way with ya Beth, bein' so familiar n all. Please don't be mad at me. I just felt like I needed ta hold ya a minute."

How can she chastise him when her arms are wrapped tightly around his waist? "I'm not angry with you Daryl, how could I be? It's my own behavior I can't believe. Never could I have imagined I'd act this way with a man, but that was before I knew you."

00

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, neither one of them can believe it and I can't either, but it happened. Please leave a comment and let me know your thoughts. I'll be back next Friday with more of The Stranger Upstairs and I hope you'll be back too. Until then stay well and remember, I love ya large! xo gneebee


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much! This is a big chapter, Daryl gets advice from a friend, we see Merle again, and our couple have their first meeting at the park – and there's another big first. We pick up right where we left off.

00

He couldn't have made his feelings for her any clearer. It wasn't his intent to be so bold, or so honest. He only meant to talk with her, to maybe take a chance on holding her hand, but he never meant for the rest of it to happen.

The way he held her and the words he said, it was like he knew all about that romantic stuff. It felt good too. Being so near to her as they talked, holding her hand and whispering in her ear. Then when she was leaving it was like another feeling had come over him and he couldn't stop himself. When he took her in his arms he knew it wasn't just because it felt good, it meant something. And it wasn't only that he was having feelings, it was that he told her what he was feeling. Once again he gave her a window to his heart. A smile spreads across his face because there's something else, she gave him a window into her heart too.

Just thinking about their brief rendezvous has his heart thumping as he climbs the stairs to his room.

He's never been this way about a woman, but then it's not like he's had a bunch of gals, or a bunch of feelings. It's not something he's proud of, but the few women he's been with, it was never like romance or anything.

For him spending time with a woman has been a rare occurrence, but there are times a guy gets restless and looks for a little companionship. It was never about serious feelings. It was always just about two people satisfying a need.

There are only two times in his life he can recall telling someone he loved them. When he was a little fella he told his Mom that. He's glad he did because it turned out to be the last time he saw her. The other time was about eight years ago. Merle got out of jail and they celebrated by drinking way too much hooch. Merle told him he loved him and Daryl told his brother the same. Neither had ever said it before, neither has said it since. Never have they spoken of it again.

Tonight he was as sober as could be and yet there he stood telling her how pretty she is and that he wants to be with her every day. It's true too. Is that love? He has no idea about that, but he knows what was the best part of the evening. It was when she let him hold her, and it got even better when her slim arms wrapped around his waist and she held him tight.

He's feeling a little overwhelmed, he can't understand all he's feeling. He only knows for sure that something's happening to him, to his heart. She's the sweetest, the purest and by far the prettiest thing to ever come into his life, and he meant what he told her. He does want to see her every day. And so much more.

He hasn't been in his room a full minute when there's a soft knock on his door. For a split second he dares to hope, is it her? No, he knows better than that. Beth wouldn't come up here at night when the men are all home. No matter what happened in private this evening she's not the kind of woman to be so forward.

He opens the door to find it's Aaron who knocked. The man looks a little jittery when he asks, "Hey Daryl, can I come in and talk to you for a minute? It's something private."

Daryl can't imagine what in the world this could be about, but he opens the door wider and invites, "Yeah, sure, c'mon in."

He asks his visitor, "Ya wanna sit?"

"Really?" Aaron's surprised to be so freely welcomed into this man's room, after all, Daryl knows his and Eric's secret.

For his part Daryl can't imagine what the guy wants with him, he just hopes it isn't about borrowing money. He's not a believer in that shit and he hates being put on the spot. He points to the chair, "Yeah, go on, sit."

Aaron is nodding and says, "Thanks Daryl," as he sits at the desk.

Daryl sits on the edge of the bed and asks, "So is there sumthin' I can help ya with Aaron?"

Aaron shrugs and answers, "Actually, there's something I was going to help you with."

Now Daryl's completely confused, "Yeah? What's that?"

"I wasn't spying or anything, I don't want you to think I'd do that. But earlier I was standing at my window getting a breath of fresh air when I saw Miss Beth come walking out from around the back of the shed. Then I saw her stop and I saw you hurry over to her, and then I saw the two of you embrace."

Daryl's face shows the deep concern he's feeling but Aaron assures him, "I'm not going to say anything to anyone, not even Eric. I promise. I was just going to suggest, if you don't want to get caught, be sure you keep that stuff _behind_ the shed."

Daryl's on his feet pacing, and his heart is pounding when he looks at Aaron and verifies, "You're not gonna say nuthin' ta the other guys, or Horvath's?"

Aaron stands and with a small grin on his face answers, "Well, like someone once said to me, if I was to have seen anything, and I don't recall that I did, it wouldn't be any business of mine or my place ta tell."

Daryl manages to smile, reaches his hand out and as the two men shake on it, he tells Aaron, "Thanks."

"Thank you, Daryl. See you at breakfast."

Daryl holds the door and responds, "Yeah, see ya then."

He tells himself it'll be okay, him and Beth will figure it out. They have to because whatever this is between them, he's not walking away from it.

* * *

She hurries into the house as quickly and quietly as she can and into her room. She can't understand why she's giggling as she shuts her bedroom door, leans against it and thinks only about him and the time they just shared.

Oh my.

She feels a little twinge of guilt as she thinks of her own behavior and the behavior she permitted. No, she simply won't allow herself to ruin what was so wonderful with thoughts of guilt and shame. She even says the words under her breath, "no more Beth Greene." She and Daryl both deserve to find their happiness, and she's more convinced than ever they'll find it together.

She gathers up her gown and robe and quietly makes her way to the bathroom. Her usual Monday evening routine would have been to have a bath after dinner, but she had other places to be this evening. It's too late now, she'll have to have one tomorrow. She settles for a fast sink bath, washing her face, under her arms and her private area. It will just have to do.

Once back in her room she briefly writes in her diary about the evening she and Daryl shared. She'd like to spend more time with it, but it's been a long workday and an emotion-filled evening. She's having trouble keeping her eyes open.

She hears him up in his room and she wonders why he's so noisy tonight, then she realizes there are two people up there. He must have a visitor. Even though in her heart she knows it could only be one of the other men, she still feels a little jealous thinking someone else gets to share time with him.

She slips under the covers and picks up her book, opens it to the page and then sets it back down on the bedside table. She smiles and shakes her head, there's no way she'll be able to concentrate on anything in that book unless there's a story about Daryl.

She lays there with the lights out and her eyes wide open as she thinks of him. She has so many feelings and she's not sure what they mean. The only thing she knows for sure is that she cares for Daryl so much, and she's sure he cares for her.

Those are the last of her thoughts before drifting off to sleep.

00

She's up early making a special breakfast. Although they would never complain to her, the men don't ever seem very enthusiastic about their Tuesday morning oatmeal. She knows they'll be very pleased to see there's been a little change to the menu. She's honest with herself. Although she's making this breakfast for all the men, there's one man who she most hopes to please.

He's up early, washed up, dressed and ready to go, but it's way too early to go down for breakfast. He's just so anxious to see her. He absentmindedly begins to straighten up his room, he even dusts off the bureau and his writing desk and he wonders, should he write her a note? Nah. He doesn't know quite what he'd say. Maybe he'll think of something later. For now he'd just like to be able to look at her pretty face.

Finally it's time to make his way downstairs and he's the first one, but it's only five minutes later that every spot at the table is taken. It's only a minute or so after that when she walks in the room with the coffee pot in hand. In a warm sweet voice she greets them, "Good morning gentleman. I have your coffee, and there's plenty more where this came from."

He'd swear she's looking right at him when she speaks, but maybe he's just hoping that's the case. Then he feels Aaron's knee nudge his. He glances over to see that although the man is looking down at his cup he's smiling knowingly. That's when Daryl's sure he's right. Her eyes really were on him. There's an almost imperceptible smile on his lips, but Beth notices it.

She returns a few minutes later with the breakfast cart smiling as she sets the big baking dish, steam still rolling off it, at the center of the table. She asks, "How about a little change of pace gentleman? Thanks to Mister Daryl we're having something different again, venison casserole."

Even though the casserole consists of far more potato and onion than it does venison the men are so happy she thinks they might start clapping. It's such a simple dish, a small portion of deer burger mixed with chunks of potato and grilled onion, with a generous helping of poor man's gravy mixed in before baking. The gravy's not even the kind made with butter, she simply used the fatty meat drippings and a little extra suet. They had it regularly when she was still with her Daddy and her uncle, and more often than not with nothing more than a slice or two of bread.

For this group of single men, all hardworking fellows who have found themselves suddenly without money in the bank. Men who are trying to figure out how they'll navigate their way through the current crisis, it's a rare Tuesday morning treat and they're grateful to have it and ready to enjoy.

There's a big basket of biscuits and a dish containing the last of the peach jam, and she knows when the meal has ended there won't be one morsel of anything leftover.

Daryl finishes his meal; it was so good and for some reason he feels proud that all the other fellas seemed to enjoy it as much as he did. Yet he feels a little sadness too. It's not fair that he has to go without giving her a proper goodbye. Before leaving home in the morning a man ought to be able to gently caress his Sweetheart's elbow and tell her he looks forward to seeing her that evening, then give her a kiss goodbye.

The thought startles him, is that what she is to him now? His Sweetheart?

This parting isn't any easier for Beth. She makes a very poor excuse to Miss Erma about having forgotten something, and hurries back in the dining room. All she wants is to see him before he goes. It's just not fair. They should be able to say goodbye. She should be able to tell him she hopes he has a pleasant day at work and to please be careful, and that she'll have his dinner ready when he returns.

Instead they simply look briefly into each other's eyes and he says, "Thanks again for breakfast Miss Beth. It was a real good one."

And she replies, "Thank you Mister Daryl. I'm glad you enjoyed it."

It's just not enough.

* * *

He rushes home like he's rushing home to hold her, instead of like he has to quickly get his dinner eaten so he can get out to his place and check on Merle. At least he'll get to see her for a few minutes.

He hurries up the back stairs, washes up and he's back down and seated at the table just in time to see her push the dinner cart in the room. She smiles as she begins to set the dishes on the table and greets everyone with, "Good evening gentlemen. I trust you all had a very good day at work today. We've strayed from our meal routine again this evening. I hope you won't mind."

No one's complaining as they see what she's prepared. There's chicken fried venison round steak and mashed potatoes and gravy, along with creamed corn and a basket of dinner rolls. No one would think of complaining they're being served potatoes and gravy twice in one day.

It happens two or three times during the meal, they manage to catch each other's eye. But as happy as they are to see one another, it's just not quite enough. There's no point stewing over it, he has other obligations and now's the time to take care of those.

He does manage one small touch. He makes a move to help her with the big bowl of mashed potatoes and his fingers lay over hers for the briefest moment. Later, as he's on his way out the door he manages to mouth the word, "Bye," to her knowing her smile will have to keep him going until morning.

He gets in the truck and behind the wheel, slaps it hard with the heel of his hand as he mutters, "Dammit," under his breath. There's got to be a better way.

When he gets to his place Merle's got a small fire going out front and Daryl sees his brother's got a couple of fish cooking on sticks. That's one thing he never worries about with Merle, his brother always finds a way to get by.

Merle calls, "Hey little brother, ya come ta see if I'm bein' a good boy?"

"Sumthin' like that. I come ta check on ya cuz you're my brother and ya been known to do more'n your share of stupid shit. How's it goin'?"

"Well Daryl, I'm glad ya asked."

"Yeah?"

"Yep. Got me a job brother. A good un at that. I lucked into it. Right place right time."

"Tell me."

"It happened this mornin'. I heard about this joint that does boiler sales, repairs, rebuilds, all that stuff. They even got the city contract. I decided ta give it a try. Turns out, they got an old boy who's worked there forever and he's callin' it a day." He snorts out a laugh as he continues, "The sumbitch must be 80 so it's high time. Anyway, they had me work with him a while this mornin' so he could see if I knew what I was doin'. He told em I did and now I take over his job Monday mornin'."

"That's good brother."

Merle nods and gets down to some serious business, "I ain't gonna pull no punches or dance around it Daryl, I need some help."

Daryl's not at all surprised, he's been waiting for this shoe to drop. "What's that Merle?"

"I wanna drive over ta Valdosta and get my wife and girl before I start workin', they belong here with me. I looked at places this afternoon and I found one that's close ta work, it'll be just fine for us. Real nice. It's one bedroom but I can partition off a space in the livin' room ta make a nice little room for Sophia. She don't need much. She's only seven."

First things first, "Whoa brother, your wife? Ya didn't tell me ya got married."

Merle shrugs and admits, "As far as the law's concerned she's got a husband. We gotta wait til he's been missin' seven years, then Carol can have him declared dead and we'll make it legal. In the meantime no one around here needs ta know it ain't me she's married to. I gotta protect her and the little girl from the kind of gossip that would come from the three of us livin' together. So, me n Carol made each other some serious promises and as far as I'm concerned she's my wife, Mrs. Dixon. She calls me husband and our girl is Sophia Dixon. That's the way we aim ta keep it."

It's a lot of big news for one Tuesday evening and Daryl's going to need time to think about it all. For now he asks, "So whaddya need me for?" As if he didn't know what it's going to be about.

"I'm pretty sure ya already know brother. I ain't got enough dough ta make the rent and get us food right now. I'ma need a little fuel for the truck too. What I got is a grand total of five bucks ta my name."

Daryl's biting his lip, then he asks, "What's the rent?"

"Rent's $12 a month and that's all of it, gas, lights, water and it's furnished. We'll make Sophia a nice bed on the sofa til I can get her one. We brought the kitchen wares, bed linens and such with us when we left Columbus. Everythin's in boxes at my buddy's place in Valdosta."

Daryl doesn't answer right away, he has another question or two. "What're they payin' ya?"

"$9.95 a week. Once I get my first couple paydays we'll be fine. Boss man said if I prove myself, then in six months I get a two dollar a week raise and in a year another a dollar more. Carol wants ta try and make a little money too. Sophia will be back in school in a week n a half and she's gonna look into getting some kind of daytime work. Maybe take in ironin' or mendin', maybe do cookin'. I don't know. I'd just as soon she didn't do that shit, but damn that woman can be headstrong."

Daryl's laughing now, "Headstrong, huh? I guess you two was made for each other." He changes the subject, he has his reasons, "Ya make any progress on the boiler yesterday?"

"Oh hell yeah, that was no strain. By nightfall I had it and the generator hummin'. What ya need now though is electrical wiring ta get power ta the house, and the house itself is gonna need ta be wired. It's gonna be a big job but I already got all the materials ya need. They're in the livin' room just waitin'."

Daryl knows what stuff costs and now he's concerned again, "Merle you…dammit, what did ya do?"

"Don't worry, if anythin' illegal happened I wasn't there. I went ta see a guy this afternoon who owed me a lotta dough from a certain job we done a couple years back. He didn't have the cash so I told him ta go find the stuff I need. I waited at his place, with his wife and boy, so I knew he'd come back. As soon as he got home we loaded it in my truck, shook hands and called it even."

"Does your wife know about the shit ya do?"

"I told her I turned over a new leaf and I did. Today was the last time. Anyway, he was happy ta do it for me and now it's all here and I's hopin' you n me would make a trade. I could spend two or three weekends gettin' all that wirin' done for ya in exchange for a little help."

Merle sees the look on his brother's face and he knows what Daryl's thinking, "Listen kid, I don't blame ya, I'd doubt me too. Truth is, I's gonna do your electrical anyway. It's the least I owe ya for what I done, but if ya don't wanna give me dough for rent there ain't gonna be hard feelins. I'll just wait and move my girls after I get a couple paydays."

No one needs to mention any details about what it was Merle did or why he owes his brother. They both know. They've had their knock down drag out fight and their yelling and cussing over it. Nowadays they mostly try to keep it all in the past.

Still it's a wound that hasn't quite healed and something both of them wish had never happened.

That Saturday morning five years ago Daryl had taken fifty dollars out of his hidey hole and tucked it in his wallet. He had it earmarked for rent, groceries and a new pair of desperately needed work boots. His wallet was in his bureau drawer, and there was a brand new 12 gauge under his bed.

He was out changing the oil in his truck before running his errands, when Merle slipped in the apartment. He stole the cash from the wallet and the gun from under the bed. The money, and what money he got hocking the shotgun all went for opium. It caused a bitter rift that took years to heal, and obviously it's still at the front of both their minds.

However, for the Dixon brothers one fact always remains, family is family. Merle is the only family Daryl has and he wants to believe that this time his brother is going to make it. He wants it for Merle and for himself. But there's more to Daryl's inability to say "no" than just the fact that Merle is his brother. It's not that simple anymore. There's a little girl and her Mama.

Daryl's got $75 left in the jar. To him that's as good as being broke, but he did get free rent this week because of the buck, and he plans to pay very little from here on out. He answers, "I'll tell ya what. I'll give ya twenty bucks. That's enough for your rent and a few groceries. Ya come get all the meat and fish your family can eat right here on the land. Ya take that five dollars in your pocket and ya get the little girl a new dress and a new pair a school shoes for school."

"When you're done wiring this place and it's all workin' right, I'll consider us even. But ya screw this up Merle and not only will I never give ya another fuckin' dime, ya won't be welcome here no more."

Merle nods, it's more than fair. It's more trust than he deserves to have anyone put in him, "Thanks brother, I promise ya won't have regrets. I'll be workin' here every weekend til I get it done."

* * *

He's got the can of 3-in-One oil in his pocket, and as he opens the side door he gives that squeaky hinge a good dose, then he glances at the door that leads down a short hall to her room. He'd like to go to her and give her a kiss goodnight, and he makes a promise to himself that someday he will.

He climbs the stairs and as he's opening his bedroom door he gives that hinge a dose of the oil too. Better. He doesn't take long getting ready and soon he's slipping in the bed, but sleep doesn't come quickly. His mind is working double time. He hopes to God he did the right thing trusting in Merle, and he can't wait to see Beth's pretty face come morning.

She's been fighting sleep, trying to keep her eyes open until she knows he's home. It's five minutes before eight and she's thinking surely he'll arrive soon. And not a minute later she hears the door quietly open, followed by the sound of his footfalls on the stairs. Finally he's in his room. Now she can rest. Her eyes close and she dreams of him.

_In her dream they're beside a beautiful little pond. They're fishing, or at least about to fish. She's wearing a yellow dress and he tells her how pretty she looks, he says it's his favorite dress. She thinks he's the one who looks good. He's wearing his overalls and a dark shirt, but the sleeves appear to have been torn off the shirt and the sight of his bare arms is enough to take her breath away._

_She smiles at him and tells him she doesn't want to touch the worm, it's so slimy. She asks him if he'll bait the hook for her and although he teases her, he smiles while doing as she asked._

* * *

Wednesday evening he's waiting patiently behind the shed while she finishes her work. If he could he'd be in their helping her. She shouldn't have to work so hard.

He hears the crunch of a footstep as it lands on a fallen leaf and it brings a smile to his face. She's here. He doesn't think about it, he does what his instincts tell him to do, the minute she's behind the shed he takes her in his arms. She makes no attempt to push him away or tell him to stop. Instead she hugs him back and all he can think about is how good it feels to be with her.

When they break the embrace, he doesn't let her go completely. His hands rest lightly on her shoulders as he looks at her pretty face and mentions, "Ya know, I's thinkin' bout sumthin'. It might not be a good idea for ya ta wait til I get home Sunday ta leave for the park." He shrugs his shoulders adding, "It might look suspicious. How 'bout we set a time ta meet, say three o'clock Sunday afternoon? Ya think that's okay?"

"Yes, that's perfect. I'm free to go anytime." She looks down and bats those pretty lashes, then looks back at him and says, "I'm so excited Daryl."

They talk about last evening, but he doesn't go into detail. There will be a better time to tell her all about Merle Dixon. For now he wants to give all his attention to her. They chat about their day and make small talk, and never is there a time he doesn't have hold of her hand.

When it's time to part they make their promise to meet again the next night. He wants so much to kiss her before she goes, but he thinks she might object. She's so good and this is so soon. He forces himself to settle for a warm embrace, happy as her slim arms wrap around him and she holds him as tightly as he's holding her.

She turns to go and he says, "Wait up Beth."

He's removing something from his pocket, it's a 50 cent piece that he hands to her and says, "That's for your streetcar fare on Sunday."

"Daryl that's too much."

He smiles "I drove by there this mornin'. There's a soda fountain across the street from the park, go early n have yourself a malted milk." Then he adds, "For now ya best get ta bed. Ya need your rest."

Saturday comes and her work is completed by noon. She's officially off duty. She goes to her room and picks up the photograph from the top of her bureau. It's the picture of her family and she looks at it wistfully for a moment before carefully removing the back. Nestled inside are a few bills, her life savings. She takes three dollars and secures the frame again.

It's been on her mind since she had the dream about them fishing, she's going to get fabric and make herself a yellow dress. She doesn't plan to spend the entire three dollars on sewing supplies but she wants to ahve enough and she can always put back what she doesn't spend. She pulls the bureau drawer open and takes out one of her old socks, dips her hand inside and retrieves the coins she'll need for carfare.

00

He gets to the boarding house just before two Sunday afternoon. He's brought four rabbits already cleaned, skinned and wrapped. He knocks softly on Horvath's private door and Mister Horvath answers, "Hey sir, I brung ya some rabbits. Should be good eating."

"That's wonderful son, you sure have kept us well-supplied with good meat. We're grateful and I know the men are. You just adjust your rent this Friday."

"Yessir, and thanks."

"No, thank you."

He already had his mind made up. He's getting his bath before meeting her at the park, why wouldn't a fellow? It's a date, isn't it?

He makes it a fast bath and trim, splashing on just a little Aqua Velva aftershave when he's done. He hurries back to his room to dress, but not in his overalls. He wears a button up shirt, rolling the sleeves to just below his elbows. He steps into the brown trousers, fastens the buttons at the sides of his waist and at the fly, then hooks the suspenders. He slips on his good brown ankle boots, combs his hair back with his fingers and dons his good cap. He's ready.

She left home early and she's quite nervous. It's not at all what she always imagined her first date would be. She expected to have a potential suitor visit her at home. It would be a front porch meeting with lemonade and cookies, and of course, it would all take place under Daddy's watchful eye. This is so different, and so much better. It will just be her and Daryl.

She's still wearing her Sunday dress, her best dress. Her shoes are freshly polished and it took her half an hour to get the waves in her hair to fall just right. She's wearing her Mama's pearls and a little dab of perfume, a sample she got at the drugstore. She hopes he likes the fragrance.

After a short walk she sits on the bench closest to the sidewalk, he'll surely see her right away.

He's just about to get in his pickup when he thinks of one more thing. He hurries to Mister Horvath's garden, looks around to make sure no one sees him, and quickly plucks a small handful of daisies for her.

He pulls up to the curb, shuts the motor off and practically leaps from the pickup. The flowers are in his hand and she's on her feet smiling at him as he walks toward her. He smiles back as he pulls the cap off and extends his arm. Handing her the flowers he says, "Ya look so pretty today," and his finger softly glides along her jawline.

His touch sends a shiver through her and she closes her eyes as she leans into his hand and quietly says, "Thank you for the flowers Daryl."

It's so good, it's just not enough, there's never enough. He invites, "Wanna take a walk around?"

Her smile is all sunshine when she answers, "Yes, I'd like that."

He takes her hand as they silently walk through the park. Eventually he steers them off the footpath and behind a large oak tree. He takes her pretty face in his hands and looking into her big, expectant blue eyes asks, "Can I kiss ya Beth? Will ya let me kiss ya?"

She softly whispers, "Yes."

He doesn't hesitate, his body moves close to hers as he leans in and tenderly kisses her sweet lips.

00

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There it is, her first kiss. We'll pick up right there next chapter. In the meantime please leave a comment. I'll be back next Friday with more of The Stranger Upstairs and I hope to see you here. Until then remember, I love ya large! xo gneebee


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much everyone! This is a big chapter for our couple. Things...well things may take a little turn. Hang on.

00

He may never have drawn his lips away if not for the sounds of voices and laughter getting closer. Whoever they are they must be walking up the path in the couple's direction. Yet even though he draws his lips from hers his face is still just inches from Beth's. His hands rest lightly on her shoulders and he just can't seem to stop looking at her pretty face. Her eyes are still closed, her cheeks flushed and she has the tiniest of grins when she asks him, "Why did you stop kissing me Daryl?"

He can't help the soft chuckle when he answers, "Well it ain't cuz I wanted to," then gives in to his impulses and hugs her close, "I don't wanna take a chance on folks seein' us kissin' whether we know em or not."

She nods, she knows now just how old fashioned he can be and she likes that. She's old fashion too. She lets out a soft sigh and reluctantly agrees, "Of course. I know you're right." Still she's disappointed, she was hoping he'd never stop kissing her. She brightens up a little when she asks, "Perhaps we can find a spot to sit and talk?"

In all the imaginings she's ever conjured up of what her first kiss would be like, never did she dream of anything so special. It was so romantic and it felt so tender and loving. She can still feel the warmth and the way her body seemed to tingle when their lips met. She wishes the whole world could know they found each other and how special it is. She hates that she and Daryl have to hide and be sneaky about their affections, but there doesn't seem to be a choice.

Still, she does have something to smile about. She appreciates the romance that's evident in his willingness to try so hard to protect her. She wonders if he's even aware of what an honorable and gentlemanly person he is. Probably not.

He nods, "Yeah, I'd like that." Never did he ever think he'd enjoy sitting and talking with anyone. It mostly sounds like a big waste of his time, and kind of like torture. Everything's just so different with her. He's anxious to talk with Beth and find out more about her. Where she comes from, who her people are and what she wants out of this life.

She has so many questions for this man. Just imagine, she's allowed him to hold her and kiss her and yet she doesn't know anything about him at all. Not really. She knows his name and that he was a soldier. She knows he works for the city and he mentioned his brother. And she knows that the bounty he brings them is proof of his hunting and fishing skills. The only other thing she knows is that, when he held her and kissed her it was the most wonderful feeling she's ever felt.

They walk slowly along the small footpath until they come to an empty bench. It's partially shaded from both the sun and onlookers by an abundance of low tree branches and large flowering shrubs. He suggests, "This here looks like a good spot, whaddya think?"

"Yes, let's sit a while." They settle in close, closer than propriety might say is polite, but they have to. They're compelled to. Their thighs are pressed against each other and although she knows she shouldn't allow it, it's just how she wants it to be. She's in no mood to deny herself or Daryl the pleasure of this closeness.

He asks first, "Ya got that certain way of talkin' that makes me think ya mighta grown up in the country. Where ya from?"

She smiles at the notion this man notices the little things, "You're right, I am a country girl. I grew up about ten miles east of Albany…" She goes on to tell him the story of how the farm was lost and how that necessitated her family moving in with her uncle.

He nods, "Seems ta be a lot of that goin' around these days."

"Daddy lost the farm long before that wall street place fell, and before the banks locked their doors and kept everyone's money. It was the boll weevils and the dry weather, and it seemed almost like the land got tired and didn't want to produce crops anymore."

She looks so sad and he reacts to that look by taking her hand and giving it a gentle squeeze, "I'm sorry Sweetheart, it seems folks in Georgia been havin' it hard since the war." They're eyes open wide as at the same moment they realize, he's just used a term of endearment.

He wonders, has he taken too bold a step? But when she looks up at him and smiles he knows she liked hearing it as much as he liked saying it. He continues with his questions, "So what did ya do after the farm?"

She wants to begin her reply with her own endearment, "Honey…" but she's just not quite as bold. Instead she goes forward with her story, telling him of how they moved in with her uncle, about the loss of her Mama and how her brother and sister left. She has no false pride, she's honest about the impoverished circumstances under which she, her father and her uncle have been living for years.

He hasn't let go of her hand and she does muster the courage to do something she's wanted to, she softly squeezes his hand with affection as she smiles at him again. He smiles back and asks, "So how'd ya end up here in this place, workin' for Horvaths?"

She tells him the story of her visit with Miss Olivia and how the preacher's wife convinced her Daddy to let her come to Atlanta. "I may not care for the rule that keeps us apart Daryl, but I so appreciate the Horvath's and everything they've done for me. For the first time in as long as I can remember I have clothes that aren't worn thin from use, that aren't faded and don't have tears or patches. I have two pair of shoes and nice smelling soap and lotion. When I wake up in the morning I have the comfort of knowing I won't go to bed hungry that night. And I'm so grateful to be able to send my Daddy a dollar or two every week."

She's the sweetest in every way. He hates that she lived so long without those things and he can't stand the idea of her going hungry. Yet even though he too is grateful to the Horvath's that she isn't going without, he can't help wishing she didn't have to work so hard and that there weren't any rules to keep them apart.

She shrugs slim shoulders and says, "That's just about everything there is to tell about me. I'm not exactly an exciting person. I'm just a farmgirl who came to Atlanta trying to find a better life, like so many other farmgirls these days."

He's gazing into her eyes as his fingers glide softly along her arm, and he disagrees, "No, there ain't no one like you Beth Greene. You're a lot more than just a farmgirl. You're sumthin' real special."

Her cheeks are glowing, her heart is fluttering and he'd swear there's a little sparkle in her eyes when she says, "I'm tired of talking about myself Daryl. I want to know about you. I can tell by the manner of your speech you're not from around here. I think you're from the country too, maybe the hills?"

The last thing he wants is to talk about himself. There's nothing good to tell. Yet as reluctant as he is he knows he needs to be a man about this. He needs to be as honest with her as she's been with him. "I guess you could tell right away I'm a yokel, huh?"

"Daryl, don't call yourself that, that's a mean word."

He holds back a laugh when he replies, "Well I guess I never thought of it quite that way. Anyhow, we was dirt poor and hungry mosta the time. That's one of the reasons I started huntin' and fishin', cuz I's hungry. I told ya home wasn't too good and about how I joined the army. I went in cuz life was mostly terrible livin' with my Dad. That was another reason I started huntin' and fishin', it got me away from him."

He swallows every ounce of reluctance. He told himself he'd be honest with her and he is, "My Mama died when I's eight and not long after that my brother, Merle, left home ta go off and do the things he does. There was just me and my Dad. He didn't have anyone else there ta beat on 'cept me. I's sick of bein' knocked around for no good reason and I'd been wantin' out for years. That's why I lied ta Uncle Sam and joined the fight."

He'd swear there are tears in her eyes and her little hand is squeezing his harder. He shrugs, "Hey Sweetheart, I'm fine. I didn't have it no worse than some other fellas did. The army was full of young guys takin' the same escape route I did."

"Anyway, one a my army buddies and me, when we got out his Uncle helped us a lot. He got us job interviews with the city and we both got hired on. Me n him got ourselves an apartment ta share and I saved all the money I could for a long time. About five years ago I bought my place. It needed a lotta work but I've been gettin' after it and it's comin' along pretty darn good. Should be ready soon."

She looks happier now, she even smiles when she says, "Oh I'd love to see it someday."

He doesn't hesitate to reply, "Really? I'd like that a lot. We could walk the land and I'd take ya fishin' on the pond." The pond? The words have her dream coming into full view again. He smiles, "All I gotta do is figure out how ta sneak ya away from Horvath's for a whole day."

"That would be so wonderful." She asks then, "If you had an apartment then why are you at Horvath's Daryl?"

"My roommate he got his girl umm…well him and his sweetheart wanted ta marry. He was gonna look for a new place but that didn't seem right. I said I'd be the one ta move."

"That was very kind of you."

"Well I knew I's gonna be movin' out in a few months anyway so I got a room at Horvath's and I took mosta my things out ta my place."

Then she asks what to him is the toughest thing, "So tell me about your brother, Merle."

He chews at his bottom lip before speaking. He wants to keep the story as short and simple as he can, but then again he wants to just tell her and get it over with. If she's going to hate him because of the things his brother did, it seems like it might be easier to lose her now rather than fall harder and then lose her.

"Merle, he's older than me, 10 years. My first memories of him he was already full grown and for a while he was like my hero. If he was around he protected me and Mama from the old man. Trouble was he started bein' around less and less." Then he admits something to her he's never even admitted to himself, "After Mama died I guess I's mad at him for leavin' me there alone. I ain't sure I ever forgave him for that."

He catches himself, shrugs his shoulders and continues, "Merle has a way of findin' trouble, and trouble has a way a findin' Merle, but I guess the person he always ends up hurting most is his own self." He holds her hand a little tighter hoping it will calm his nerves, and tells her, "He's been in trouble with the law a few times and…I ain't gonna lie to ya Beth, for a long time he got ta where he couldn't stop hittin' the pipe, sorry, I mean smokin' opium. He has a problem staying away from pot too."

She's heard of opium, it's a very dangerous substance the preacher warned about in Sunday school, but, "What is pot?"

"Marijuana, ya heard a that?"

"Yes, I've heard it called that. I never knew of anyone actually trying those things. Aren't they dangerous? And I heard you just have to try it one time and then you can never live without it again. Is that true?"

He puts it in the nicest way he can, "It ain't quite that powerful, but yeah, folks develop a taste for it I guess. That's Merle's problem. He's tried before, but he's had a lotta trouble tryin' ta quit usin' that stuff. It ain't just that either. Wantin' the drugs and needin' the money ta buy them caused him ta do other things he shouldn't have been doin'."

Instead of acting shocked or angry she says, "That's so sad Daryl. I'm very sorry for him and I'm going to include him in my prayers."

Her sweetness gets him every time. He thought she'd be disgusted or at the least she'd be disappointed, and at the worst she'd tell him she never wants to see him again. It's like the weight of the world has been lifted off him, "That's real nice Beth." He smiles when he asks, but she has him wondering, "Ya ever say a prayer for me?"

"Of course I do Daryl, I pray for you every day."

"Nah, you're kiddin'."

The words and the courage come from someplace deep inside her heart, "Daryl, didn't I allow you to kiss me just an hour ago? At this very moment aren't I sitting way too close to you and holding your hand? If I'm your Sweetheart then you're my Sweetheart, and it would only be right that I would pray for you always."

He forgets they're in public just long enough to lean in and kiss her cheek, "I never been anyone's Sweetheart Beth, an I'm sure no one ever prayed for me."

She covers his hand with hers and says, "Oh I'm sure your Mama prayed for you every day. I'm sure the army chaplain did too and many of your soldier friends. You just don't know all the people who have prayed for you is all."

"Maybe."

"I know it's true. So where is Merle now?"

He's still a little taken aback that she isn't more upset about Merle's ways, but then she hasn't met the big blowhard. "He just moved over this way. He was livin' near Columbus, that's where he met his wife, Carol, and now they've moved down this way. Since he's been with her he's quit messin' with the drugs and he's got hisself a good job startin' tomorrow."

"Oh that's wonderful news. So they're newlyweds?"

It's so hard not to be honest with her, but it's Merle's or Carol's place to tell about the marriage stuff, not his. "I guess you could say that. Anyway, they just got a place this past Thursday and got moved in on Friday. I only met her and her little girl yesterday. She seems like a real nice lady and she's got a strong enough spirit. I'm thinkin' she might be the one ta keep Merle on the straight and narrow. That little girl of hers is real sweet too."

"A little girl? Oh how wonderful. What's her name? How old is she?"

He's smiling at the way her eyes lit right up when he mentioned the little girl, "I guess ya like children, huh? Her name's Sophia and she's seven years old. She'll be startin' second grade in just a few days."

"Oh gosh, how sweet. I hope I get to meet her sometime."

His hand gently cups her cheek when he says, "I hope ya do too Sweetheart and I'ma try n think of a way. Whaddya say we get up n walk around a little more?"

"Yes, all right Daryl."

He stands and extends his hand to her, she takes it and when she's safely on her feet he crooks his elbow, inviting her to take his arm. She smiles up at him as she slips her arm through his, and he smiles back as he sets the pace and they slowly begin strolling arm in arm along the path.

It's not his way. Walking has a simple purpose, it's a means of getting from one place to the other. At least it's always been that way. Things have changed. He's never enjoyed walking as much as he's enjoying it with her on his arm.

They're only making small talk and yet they're engrossed in each other's every word as they amble along. Before they know what's happened the daylight has begun to fade. "Oh no! Daryl, I need to get home. Miz Horvath knows I would never stay out after dark."

"Don't worry, I'll drive ya. It'll be faster."

"But Daryl, what if we get caught? I'll lose my job."

"I can drop ya off a block away and watch til ya get in the door. Once your safe inside I'll drive around a while before comin' in."

"Oh my, you are a sneaky one."

Never in his life has he winked at a woman, but he winks at her when he says, "Gotta be if I wanna spend time with my Sweetheart."

He's rewarded with that pretty pink blush and the words, "Well then I suppose I'm happy you're so sneaky."

He helps her in the truck and she tells him, "Oh my Daryl, this is so fancy. I've never been in such a new vehicle."

He's proud to have a nice truck and her words have him smiling when he says, "I'm glad ya like it Beth. A good truck is sumthin' I always wanted ta own." Then he asks hopefully, "Ya think I could have another kiss before I take ya home?"

She doesn't need to think about her answer, "Yes." And it's the only word he needed to hear. They scoot closer on the bench seat as he wraps his arm across her back. They smile shyly at each other and then he leans in and gives her a tender kiss, but this time it's different. She feels the tip of his tongue softly teasing her lips.

The ride goes too quickly, it's not like the streetcar at all. He pulls up to the curb, turns to her and says, "I hate ta leave ya off here, but I'll be watchin', k?"

"Okay, yes, I'll be just fine Daryl, thank you."

He's chewing his bottom lip as he nods and gets down from the truck. He hurries to her side and with strong hands clutching her waist he doesn't simply help her down, he lifts her down.

"Okay, good night Daryl."

"G'night Sweetheart."

His eyes never leave her as she walks toward Horvaths. It's not that he's worried, it just feels so wrong. It doesn't seem right to let her out of the truck and make her walk herself home. He doesn't care for it. A man ought to walk his Sweetheart to her door and see her safely in. Shit.

He tries not to think about all that and instead to think about the day they had. Sitting on the bench together and talking. Even though telling some of the things he had to tell wasn't easy, for once he actually enjoyed talking to someone. Strolling with her arm in arm while they talked a little more, and the way he could feel her leaning her small body into his, the kissing and the touching. It was all so much more than he dared to hope for.

She turns to look his way before walking in the house and although he's sad to see her go, he smiles about something else he'll not soon forget. Right there on the park bench she said those words with her own pretty lips. She told him that she was his Sweetheart and that he was her Sweetheart.

Just recalling it now has his heart thumping again.

She walks in the door surprised to see Miss Erma in the front room, and the woman questions, "Why Beth, Dear I was getting concerned. It's not like you to stay out so late. You didn't have any trouble did you?"

Beth can feel the color in her cheeks. She hates that she's so quick to flush. She might think it was caused by the sudden wave of guilt, except it seems to happen no matter the circumstance. It happens when Daryl just looks in her eyes. She shakes that thought from her mind and replies, "I'm so sorry I worried you. I was having such a lovely walk in the park and enjoying the pretty flowers, I guess I just lost all track of time." She tells herself it's not a lie, that's exactly how it happened.

"Of course Dear Girl, but you be careful about the time, nothing good ever happens to young ladies out alone after dark."

Beth can only answer, "Yes Ma'am, thank you Ma'am," before hurrying to her room.

It's only six in the evening but she doesn't care about the time, she has important things to do. She gets her gown and robe and hurries to the bathroom, readying herself for bed. Back in her room she gets the diary and excitedly begins to write about their day. She decides it's going to take pages and pages as she writes every detail no matter how small or inconsequential.

When she finally completes the entry she writes his name in the center of the following page, and then surrounds it with drawings of tiny hearts. She looks at her work and whispers to herself, "Daryl Dixon has my heart."

* * *

Again that evening Aaron knocks on Daryl's door and asks, "Can we talk a minute?"

"Yeah sure, c'mon in." Uh oh, now what? As they sit he asks the visitor, "How can I help ya Aaron?"

"Listen Daryl, I wasn't snooping, it just happened."

Daryl interrupts him, "Aaron, I know ya ain't a spy. Now what is it?"

"Some of us fellows were out on the balcony a while ago and I saw you and Miss Beth again. I wanted to let you know that, you know, in case next time you wanted to drop her off somewhere out of view."

"Oh shit."

"I just wanted to let you know. I wouldn't want her to lose her job or for you to lose your room here."

"Yeah, thanks Aaron. You're a good guy."

The man smiles, "Thanks Daryl, I happen to think you are too, and if I can ever help you two out just ask. I know what it's like to be forced to sneak around to see someone you love."

Love? Love. Hmm. "Yeah, I s'pose ya do. Anyway, I appreciate the offer and I'll keep it in mind."

Daryl and Beth manage to keep up their secret meetings each evening behind the shed. Even though the weather's starting to turn a little cooler. Maybe that makes it even better as they do what they can to keep each other warm.

All week long, every chance she gets, she works on her new yellow dress and she finishes it Saturday. It's perfect, almost exactly the way she remembers it from her dream. She plans to wear it with her pretty white sweater when she meets him in the park on Sunday, and gosh she hopes he likes it.

Sunday comes and she does her best to concentrate on the preacher's preaching and on feeling the spirit in the hymns. When she gets back home she hurries to her room and slips the dress off, changing into a house dress before laying the one o'clock meal out. She doesn't want to take any chances of spilling anything on her new dress.

Once the meal is complete she hurries again, freshening up before leaving for the park. As she's putting the waves in her hair and applying just a little dab of perfume, she hears his truck pull in and the rush of warm anticipation has her feeling almost lightheaded. She hears the side door open and expects to hear his footfalls on the stairs, instead she hears him knock on the Horvath's door.

Mister Dale says, "Hello there Daryl, did you bring us more good food today?"

And then she hears that manly voice and her heart does a little flip, "Yessir. I got ya enough fish for a meal and four more rabbits."

"That's wonderful. Boy that fried rabbit Miss Beth made last Monday really hit the spot, didn't it?"

"Yessir, it was real good. Ya want me ta put this in the refrigerator on the porch?"

"That would be swell and thanks again young man, you be sure and adjust your rent come Friday."

"Yessir, and thank you."

He hurries to store the food in the refrigerator, he's still got a bath to take. He's got to get to the park and meet his Sweetheart.

She boards the streetcar to the park feeling even more excited than she was just a week ago. She knows a little about what's in store and she can hardly wait. Is it normal for a woman to long for the kiss of a man this way? She heard once it was only men who enjoyed such contact. She knows now that's not true because being held and kissed by Daryl is the best feeling in the world.

She's waiting on the same park bench when she sees his truck approaching and she's immediately on her feet. Finally they get to enjoy their afternoon together.

He sees her standing there and it feels like his heart stops for a minute. She's wearing the dress, the yellow dress from his dream. How can that be? He has no idea, he only knows he needs to hold her. Now.

He parks the truck at the curb and practically leaps out. His strides are long and his pace quick as he rushes toward her. She's smiling while doing everything in her power not to rush into his arms. He takes her hand and they quickly walk together toward the big oak.

As soon as they're alone he tells her, "Ya look beautiful Sweetheart. The dress, I…" He stops himself, she'll surely think he's crazy, so instead of telling her about the dream he simply says, "I like that dress a lot, I think it's the prettiest one I ever seen ya in."

She looks a little embarrassed when she says, "Don't think I'm silly, but recently I had a dream and in the dream you and I were standing next to a pretty little pond, we were going to fish. I was wearing a yellow dress just like this and you said it was your favorite, that's why I made myself this one."

He still doesn't tell her but her, but he will someday soon. For now he simply says, "Ya done a beautiful job Sweetheart." He's sure the dress is a sign.

Anyway he can't wait another minute. His arms are around her and his lips on hers. It's tentative at first, he's unsure what her reaction will be. But when he can hold back no longer and his tongue slips in her mouth, she accepts his advance.

00

The secret nightly meetings continue for three more weeks as do the meetings in the park. The weather has turned colder but that can't stop the feeling of warmth steadily growing between them.

It's the Monday morning after they've spent their third Sunday together, and Miss Erma receives a caller. It's Mrs. Shelly Neudermeyer, a member of the congregation at church. Erma has no idea why this woman is paying a call, they're not particularly friendly. But she does not forget her manners, "It's quite nice out, the most beautiful morning we've had in a while. Shall we enjoy a refreshment here on the porch?"

"Why yes, that would be lovely Erma."

The visitor is practically bursting with the news. She barely gets the first sip of tea down when she says, "Now Erma Dear, you know I'm not one to spread gossip." And Miss Erma can hardly keep from rolling her eyes at such a statement, everyone knows Shelly Neudermeyer has more news than the morning paper. The visitor reaches over and lays her hand on Miss Erma's and says, "However Dear, I could not keep this news to myself, it's too important and you have a right to know."

Miss Erma has become downright irritated by the visitor. "What is it Shelly?"

 _"_ It concerns your hired girl and one of your boarders." Erma hopes her face doesn't give witness to her shock. "I saw them with my own eyes just yesterday. I was at the park enjoying a nice constitutional and there they were behind a big oak tree. I could swear that man had his tongue halfway down your hired girl's throat."

It's all Erma can do to keep from gasping and she's concerned she may get sick to her stomach right there on her own porch, but she maintains a cool demeanor when she asks, "What man was that?"

"Well I'm sure I wouldn't know a man who's the sort to behave that way, kissing a young woman in public. I can tell you he's older, at least eight or ten years older than she. If you ask me, his muscles are way too overgrown and he's in dire need of a haircut and a shave. He towered over the poor girl, but don't get me wrong. He wasn't forcing himself on her. She was kissing him every bit as shamelessly as he was kissing her."

00

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh dear. Now what? Please leave a comment and let me know your thoughts. I'll be back next Friday with a new chapter of The Stranger Upstairs and I hope you're here too! Until then remember, I love ya large! xo gneebee


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again, you guys make me smile :) Let's see, that biddy Mrs. Neudermeyer is out to spread stories and cause trouble. What will Mrs. Horvath do now? So much is going to happen. Hang on.

00

She's typically a calm and controlled woman. She's gracious and not one to raise her voice, but anger has consumed Miss Erma. Never has she experienced such powerful feelings of rage. Yet, as she speaks to the uninvited visitor seated on her porch, casually sipping tea while spreading rumors, Erma Horvath manages to keep her anger well concealed.

She can't hide her feelings completely though. Her voice has a decidedly sharp tone when in no uncertain terms she tells the woman, "I think the time has come for you to leave. And shame on you Shelly Neudermeyer for spreading such vile gossip about a sweet and kind young woman."

As she stands to go the woman huffs, "Don't take the anger and disappointment you have in your help out on me Erma Horvath. She's no sweet and innocent girl, that little hussy is playing you for the fool."

That's the end of Erma's nerves and tolerance, in her strongest and harshest tone yet she says, "That's quite enough Shelly, you leave my home _now_ , and I'd best not hear that you've been spreading this rumor around town. If I get wind of even one whisper of it anywhere I promise you I'll be going straight to the preacher. I'll tell him you're deliberately causing harm to a young woman of deep faith. I don't think he'll appreciate hearing there's a gossip monger in the congregation."

The visitor huffs again and her parting words are cold and hard, "Well isn't that a lovely threat Erma, but you mark my words, you'll rue the day you lashed out at me to stick up for that young hussy. When that day comes don't bother to come crawling to me with your apology, it won't be accepted."

Miss Erma's hands are firmly on her hips and she's standing tall, "I can assure you I won't be losing a moment's sleep over you or your baseless lies."

As the visitor storms off Mrs. Erma stands frozen in place and deeply concerned. Beth is like the daughter she never had. A sweet, delightful and precious young woman whom she has always believed to be of the highest moral character, and now this news.

The worst part of hearing these claims is, Erma believes every word Mrs. Neudermeyer spoke regarding the behavior of sweet Beth and the boarder. She's seen with her own eyes the looks that pass between her young helper and the rough-looking boarder.

She's been trying for weeks to deny it, truth be told it's been ever since he moved in. She's even tried accusing herself of imagining things, just so she wouldn't have to see what's happening right before her eyes. All the while she's prayed hard that Beth would forget about the boarder and find herself a more suitable young man.

Erma's seen something else with her own eyes, the interest several of the young gentlemen at church have in Beth. Why just a few weeks ago at the ice cream social it was quite evident. The young fellows were practically pushing each other away, trying so hard to be the one to help her fix a sundae and chat with her a while.

It isn't that Miss Erma has any particular dislike for the boarder. He seems like a nice enough man and he's certainly provided well for the house. She appreciates him. It's just that he also seems so terribly ill-suited to her pretty young Beth. He's coarse and not at all well-spoken, and he's older, far too old for her, and Erma has never seen him at Sunday services.

Perhaps…well she's going to have to think about all of this very carefully before making her knowledge of the situation known. For now she has a splitting headache. She simply must lay down while she considers the best course of action.

She walks in her front door to see Beth waiting as Mister Dale is just arriving at the bottom of the stairs with the Vacuette. "Here you go young lady. When you're done just leave it over there in the corner. I'll take care of it when I get back."

Erma's mood lightens a bit, she can't help teasing her husband, "And just where do you think you're going Husband?"

He's like a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar, but knowing he's not really in trouble, "I'm just going out for a walk and a visit."

She knows exactly where her husband's going and she scolds, "Indeed. Well Mister Horvath, you be careful you don't get any grease on your freshly laundered clothes. Working on that old jalopy has got nearly everything you own stained. I had a devil of a time getting that spot off your pants the other day."

"Yes Dear One, you've reminded me about it many times already, and didn't I promise to be more careful?"

All the while Beth has been keeping herself out of it, dusting what's already been dusted with a smile on her lips. She enjoys listening to the Horvaths. They have a funny way of pretending to bicker, but she's never seen any real anger between them.

She's feeling happy too, today is a good day. The young woman is completely oblivious with regard to the gossip her employer has just been told.

Mister Dale is out the door and Miss Erma tells her, "Beth, Dear I've got a terrible headache coming on. I'm going to my room and rest a while. I should be feeling better in plenty of time to help you with the dinner. I believe you have a rabbit stew planned, is that right?"

"Yes Ma'am, unless you prefer I make something else."

"No, not at all. Rabbit stew sounds lovely Dear and I know the men will all enjoy it. That Mister Dixon is quite the fellow bringing us so much nice food for the table, isn't he?" Her question is deliberate and she instantly gets the reaction she feared when Beth's cheeks turn bright pink and she stumbles over her own words.

"Oh, um, um yes Ma'am. Yes, well it's wonderful."

Erma Horvath would bet her basket of embroidery thread the girl would not have blushed that way at the mention of say, Dr. Eugene or Mister Eric.

Miss Erma goes to her room, lays on the chaise and closes her eyes, but she has no intention of napping. Her mind is working on the dilemma at hand. She told Beth from the start she'd have to let her go if she got in any sort of romantic entanglement with a boarder. It wasn't because she wanted to be mean. Her motives are well-intentioned. Her goal has always been to protect the young woman, not because she thinks any of the men are terrible people, but men have strong needs and sometimes those needs won't be denied. Besides, it's simply a bad idea to mix business and romance.

Erma Horvath also understands things about Beth. She's young, she's lived a stark and sheltered life and she's completely innocent to the ways of men. She doesn't know about the way their physical desires sometimes lead them to make promises that will never be kept. Many's the young woman whose found herself alone with a child, with no means of support for herself and the baby. Erma has no idea what sort of man the boarder might be, or if he'll cause young Beth shame and grief. It's best not to leave these things to chance.

Once again all of her concerns are right there in front of her and demanding she take action.

So, as she rests she's considering the situation, trying to decide the best way to handle it. She has several ideas. What she'd most like to do is put into action a plan that would allow Beth to stay, while bringing the budding romance between her young helper and the boarder to an end. She herself would simply never let on she knew of Beth's transgression.

Beth is smiling happily as she completes her chores, she'll be done a little early this morning. She'll have plenty of time to enjoy her lunch and during her rest break she can write in her diary. She couldn't get all her feelings and every detail written down last night. She was too excited and too exhausted at the same time.

She is feeling a bit sad though. Monday evenings are when Daryl calls on his brother and family. He'll leave right after dinner and she won't see him again until morning. Of course she understands why he must go, and she would never presume to tell him he shouldn't go, that would be selfish and besides, she wants Daryl and his brother to build a stronger bond, family is so important. Tonight, right after her bath, she'll be sitting down to write letters to the members of her own family.

* * *

Daryl's working at the treatment plant this Monday and things are paced just the way he likes. He's busy but not so busy that he feels overly rushed. With the work being so routine it serves to free up his mind so there's plenty of time to think of other things, and the only other thing he's thinking about is her.

Over the past three weeks he and Beth have been meeting for 15 minutes or so four nights a week. Then there's their Sunday time. It's the most relaxed, it's when they feel a bit more freedom to be themselves, and to touch. He feels like he's come to know her pretty well and he thinks she must feel the same about knowing him.

They talk, they hold each other and they kiss. But other than him getting a bit more familiar and rubbing her back, or placing his hands on her hips while they neck, that's as far as things have gone. He'd sure like it if there could be more closeness but he doesn't dare push for more with her. She'd surely slap him if he even dared to be a little more familiar. If even in a nearly innocent way, he were to simply let his hand gently glide over her breast, over her clothes. No, she wouldn't allow it.

She's a good girl, proper. He gets it, and how could he possibly be angry about the person she is when he's understood it from the start. Still, there's no denying he's getting frustrated.

He knows where he could go and meet a woman just to ease the tension and desire. No one else would ever have to know what he'd done. But he isn't going anywhere else. He can't because he knows, his heart belongs to Beth. The physical contact he's craving will only be satisfied if he has that intimacy with her.

He hasn't admitted it to himself yet, but it could be that someday soon he'll realize, it's because he loves Beth.

* * *

Beth's chopping vegetables for the stew when Miss Erma comes walking in the kitchen, "My sweet helper, it seems you're always working."

"Not always and I don't mind at all. You've been very generous with me and my family. Besides, I just had a nice break. And how are you feeling Ma'am? Has your headache passed?"

"Yes Dear, and thank you for asking." What better time to bring it up? It's the most common thing in the world for women who are working together to converse about men. So, while Miss Erma gets busy making biscuits she ventures so matter-of-factly, "You're such a sweet and thoughtful person Beth. Any young man would be blessed to have you in his life. In fact, I've noticed several of the young gentlemen at church seem quite anxious to give you their attention. Are there any of them you have an interest in?"

Oh my. She has to watch her words very carefully; she can't simply dismiss Erma Horvath's question. That wouldn't seem natural. There is a young man or two she would have agreed to let call on her, but that all changed the day Daryl Dixon showed up at the front door of Horvath's Boarding House. Since then she's only had eyes for him. Still she smiles and tells the woman, "I'm not sure. Zach Roberts is quite nice, and he's attractive, but," she feigns embarrassment as if she's too shy to go on. It's just not something she cares to discuss.

However, the admission has brought to life the very idea Erma's been toying with, "Zach Roberts? He does seem like such a fine young man, and he has an employment position at his father's mill. That's very important to consider Beth, he'll always have a job. And his Mother and Father are delightful people, the family never misses a Sunday at church."

She smiles so sweetly at Beth and says, "You never know Dear, he may very well pay you a call sometime."

"Yes, Ma'am." It's all Beth can think to say before sending up a prayer that Zach Roberts will never, nor will any other man, ever come to call.

She can't imagine sitting and talking, holding hands and being too close with any man but Daryl. Holding each other tightly and kissing, or oh my goodness, allowing a man to put his tongue in her mouth. No, never. She could never indulge in those sorts of behaviors with anyone but Daryl no matter how handsome or successful the suitor may be.

Her mind begins to wander to thoughts of him and she wonders what would happen if Daryl were to become more forward with her. What if he were to press for a little more closeness? What if he were to perhaps touch her breast or her bottom? What would she do?

Of course it wouldn't be proper, and she should never allow him to make such advances, but would she really be able to ask him to stop? She's not sure she could because lately, she's been wondering about sharing more closeness with him.

There's something else too, something she's finally admitted, and in writing. Just a while ago in the privacy of her room she told her diary, "I believe it's possible that I've fallen in love with Daryl Dixon."

* * *

He hurries home from work like he does every weekday, happy knowing he'll see her. He bounds up the stairs and into the bathroom, washes up and does the best he can to comb back his hair. He wants to look at least halfway decent when he sits for dinner.

He's thinking of the little conversation they had at the park yesterday, when he told her how much he'd appreciate it if she could see her way clear to make a rabbit stew. She smiled so pretty when she replied, "of course, I'd be happy to Daryl." And as delicious as the house smells he's sure she's done just that.

He's waiting as she walks in the room pushing the dinner cart, and he can't keep from smiling when he sees the big tureen up top. He's doing his best to follow Aaron's advice to be more discreet, that's the only reason he doesn't jump up and offer to help. His help isn't need anyway. Abraham is on his feet and lifting it to the table with a smile, while saying the words Daryl's thinking, "It looks and smells like you've outdone yourself again Miss Beth. You're a wizard in the kitchen."

Daryl's not at all concerned the man is being flirtatious. He knows he doesn't have to worry because he knows Abraham's big secret. It's why he doesn't feel jealousy over the man's attention to Beth or the big grin on his face, or the compliments that Abraham is paying to his Sweetheart.

Daryl's learned over the course of the weeks he's lived at Horvath's, it's not just him or Aaron and Eric who have secrets. There are plenty of secrets in this house.

00

_As for Abraham's secret, Daryl discovered it quite by accident just two weeks ago. It was nearing the end of the work day and he was called upon to take care of a water line emergency. A broken pipe had been reported on a residential street over on the Negro side of the city._

_Daryl knew the area only because of past work he'd done there. The city's color lines are clearly drawn between the white and the Negro parts of town. The city council passed an ordinance years before requiring segregation. Restaurants had to be designated for one race only, no mixing. Atlanta's streetcars are segregated, with black patrons required to sit in the rear. If not enough seats are available for all white riders, the blacks sitting furthest forward in the trolley are required to stand and give their seats to whites._

_Racial mixing and inter-racial marriage are not just illegal in Georgia, they're illegal all over the south and even in some states up north._

_None of that matters when it comes to the city's infrastructure, maintenance of the water and sewer system is among a handful of things that crosses racial lines. Anyway, that day Daryl was mostly thinking about a different terrible reality, he was going to miss out on the fried rabbit dinner he knew Beth was cooking up._

_He was feeling disappointed but the job was the job and so he hopped in the work truck and hightailed it over that way. He'd just stepped down from the vehicle when, as he was assessing the situation he happened to glance up and see what he saw, and it was as plain as the nose on Abraham Ford's face._

_The man came walking out the front door of a little blue house, and if that wasn't surprising enough, as he stood there on the stoop a pretty Negro woman poked her head out the doorway. The way she smiled at the big redhead made it pretty darn clear what was going on, and then Abraham removed all doubt._

_The man cradled the woman's face in his hands and kissed her deeply. Then in his typical booming voice he said, "See ya tomorrow Doll."_

_The woman had no sooner shut the front door than Abraham looked up the street to see his fellow boarder standing there. Daryl knew his own mouth was probably hanging open, but he tried to hide his shock by simply tilting his chin up in greeting, and promptly getting back to his work._

_He never expected Abraham to come walking toward him, and unlike Abraham's usual way when he spoke his voice was quiet and subdued. "I suppose you saw that?"_

_Daryl shrugged, answering, "I didn't see nuthin' and I don't know about nuthin'."_

_Abraham sounded almost desperate then, "Be serious Daryl. Shit. Me and her, well I ain't gotta tell you it's illegal. The neighborhood folks around here, they turn a blind eye, but if word were to get out I'd lose my job. Shit man, I'm not even worried about that, it's her I'm worried about. God only knows what they might do to her."_

_Daryl stops working long enough to tell the other man, "I ain't one ta tell tales Ford, and I got no desire ta cause anyone any trouble, especially not some woman. All I'm gonna say is, ya might wanna be a little sneakier. Anyone coulda seen what I seen."_

_"You're right Dixon, I have to do a better job of protecting us both."_

_Just like he knew he would be, Daryl was late for dinner that night. He didn't want to go hungry so he'd stopped at the store on his way home and bought himself two cans of chili. He planned to eat the food up in his room, cold and right from the can._

_He was caught by surprise when as he walked in the side door Mister Dale called to him, "Young man, come on in the kitchen. We've kept your dinner warm."_

_It was Abraham's doing. He'd told Dale and Erma that he'd seen Daryl and the man was going to be working late fixing a broken water line. "He'll miss dinner and I bet he'll come home mighty hungry."_

_The Horvaths agreed and Beth fixed a hearty plate for the boarder, keeping it warm for him in the oven draw. Daryl felt like a king sitting at the kitchen table and having Beth set the big plate of fried rabbit, mashed potatoes and gravy, biscuits and corn in front of him._

_Even better, after he thanked the Horvaths for their consideration, they excused themselves and retired to their room. That left him and Beth in the kitchen alone to enjoy a whispered conversation._

00

The rabbit stew is the best he's ever had, and he manages to quietly tell her that as she's clearing plates from the table. The smile she gives him eases his sadness at having to leave her this evening to visit his brother.

There's a witness to their brief exchange, someone watching from the sitting room who also notices the way Beth smiles at Daryl Dixon. If there had been a doubt in Miss Erma's mind it's gone now.

It surprises Daryl how much he enjoys visiting with his brother these days. Things are different now that Merle has Carol and Sophia in his life. Daryl also enjoys an easy relationship with Carol, she's like the sister he never had. And Sophia, she's his little buddy. She loves telling him stories about school and her friends there and he enjoys listening to the little girl happily chatter away.

After he's spent some time with all of them, he and Merle slip out to the back to drink a beer and talk. It's chilly but they're dressed for it. As Daryl's taking his first swallow of the home brew his brother asks, "So brother, I been waiting weeks for ya ta spill the beans, when's that gonna happen?"

Daryl has no idea what his brother's talking about, "What beans are those?"

"You tell me brother, but if I had ta guess I'd be guessin' it's a woman."

"Ya don't know what you're talkin' about ya big blowhard."

"Oh yeah? Well I may blow hard little brother but that don't mean I can't tell when sumthin's goin' on. Right now I'm pretty sure what's goin' on with you has sumthin' ta do with a woman."

"What makes ya think that?"

"It's pretty simple ta guess, I ain't ever seen ya lookin' and actin' so happy."

It catches Daryl by surprise and he lets out a low laugh, "Alright, ya got me. I guess you're right, I ain't ever been this happy."

"So then, what's the word?"

Daryl shrugs his shoulders thinking there's really no reason not to tell, "She works there at the boardin' house and well, me n her we had some feelins right from the start and we been seein' each other on the sly."

That perks Merle's ears and his caution, "The sly? She ain't married is she kid?"

"Nah, hell no. Ya know better. I ain't the kind ta mess with a married woman. It's just the folks that own the place got a rule. She ain't allowed ta keep company with the boarders."

"Huh. Well that explains a lot, now I know why you're still there."

"I'm still there cuz I'm waitin' till my place is done."

"That right there is a big ol' pile a bullshit Daryl. Ya got your bathroom, ya got your kitchen, ya got heat and ya got electrical. So what's the hold up?"

"I ain't painted the inside and I got no furniture 'cept my bedroom and that kitchen table and shit. I hardly even got any dishes and kitchen stuff. Just what I had for campin'."

"Yep, and ya know what that amounts to?"

"No, but I'm sure you'll tell me."

"It amounts ta more than enough for ya ta be livin' there. Hell it's a thousand times more than ya had growin' up and you survived that shit."

Daryl throws up his hands. The truth is the truth and he knows two things, Merle's right and Merle isn't one to buy any bullshit. He's a master at that stuff and he knows when it's being shoveled back at him.

"Alright, yeah, she's why I'm still there. I just don't know how I'd get ta see her enough if I was livin' out at my place and she was workin' at Horavth's."

"Well bright boy, I guess you could ask her to move in with ya."

"She wouldn't move in with me or any other man. She's a real good girl Merle, real proper."

"Proper, huh? How old is this girl?"

"18."

"Damn brother, ain't that kinda young?"

"I guess, but she, dammit Merle. I care about her."

"I know how it feels when that happens." Then he does something he rarely does, he wraps an arm across Daryl's shoulders and suggests, "Well I guess you could marry up."

"I ain't sure I'm the kind ta marry."

"Yeah? I bet ya thought I wasn't the kind ta marry either."

* * *

Daryl's head is spinning on the drive home. He has no idea exactly what he should or will do, but he does have a strong feeling he needs to do something before long.

For the rest of the week they enjoy pleasant weather, no wind and no rain. So although it's a bit chilly, it's not so chilly that they can't keep each other warm out back.

Friday evening he asks her, "If you was ta paint the inside of a house what color would ya want it ta be?"

"Oh gosh, I don't know. Maybe just something plain, except for my bedroom. I've always wanted a sunny yellow bedroom with white lace curtains and a big warm comforter. That sounds so bright and cheerful."

"Bright and cheerful, huh?" He's still not ready to admit to himself why, but he knows he's buying a can of paint in the morning and painting the bedroom yellow.

They make a plan for Sunday. She'll be at the park at two to meet him. Before sneaking back in the house they share a deep kiss and he almost makes a move, but stops himself. No, she's a good girl. He's got to stay mindful of that.

He leaves Saturday morning, managing to lightly clasp her hand before he goes, and already anticipating holding her again soon.

He stops at the paint store and he's off to work on his place.

Beth keeps herself busy Saturday afternoon practicing her embroidery. Miss Erma's been teaching her and she's come to like it very much. So she sits on the front porch enjoying the afternoon sun and embroidering flowers on her handkerchiefs, but like always it seems her mind is on him.

It's as she and the Horvaths are walking home from church Sunday that Mrs. Horvath tells Beth something she did not want to hear, "I have exciting news Beth. Zach Roberts mother tells me he'll be calling on you this afternoon. He'll be by at two."

Beth wants to die right on the spot. No. No! This can't be. She doesn't want to be with Zach, she wants to be with Daryl! Oh no. This is the worst news ever, and how will she even get word to Daryl she can't meet him? He told her he's going to clean up at his place and drive from there straight to the park.

Still Beth's employer has arranged this meeting and she'll have to take part in it. Maybe she can just explain to Zach. Maybe they can part friends. Oh no. Oh no. Oh no.

The doorbell chimes promptly at two and Mr. Horvath answers. He greets the caller and escorts him to the front room. Beth is in the other room wanting to die. Daryl's probably at the park already and, oh no,oh no.

They sit on the small sofa in the front room and thank goodness, after pleasantries are exchanged Mr. Horvath leaves the room, but then Miss Erma walks in. Zach is a gentleman, immediately rising to his feet, and Miss Erma says, "Please, sit. I've just come to ask you if you'd like lemonade or ice tea?"

Zach smiles, "Thank you Ma'am, tea sounds nice as long as it's not too much trouble."

"Not at all."

Beth sees her chance to escape, she's immediately on her feet. "I can help."

"Oh no Dear, you stay and chat. I'll be back in a minute."

As they're waiting Zach tells her, "You look very nice today Miss Beth."

"Thank you."

Then in a voice barely above a whisper he asks, "Did you know I was coming to call?"

She's not sure why they're being secretive, but she whispers back, "No, I had no idea until after services, why? Didn't you know?"

"No, my Mother sprang the news on me right after church. I'm sorry Miss Beth. I don't want to lead you on, but I don't want to hurt your feelings either."

"I don't think you'll hurt my feelings."

He's suspicious about something and smiles, "Do you already have a sweetheart?"

Beth doesn't get her story out, she only begins, "It's complicated..." Just as Miss Erma returns to the room.

She's carrying a tray with two tall glasses of tea and a plate of cookies. Again Zach is on his feet as he takes the tray from her hands and sets it on the table. Miss Erma smiles, "Thanks you Son. You young people enjoy your visit." And she leaves the room with a smile on her face.

As soon as she's out of ear shot Zach begins his whispered story, "I've been having a romance my Mother doesn't approve of."

Beth smiles admitting, "I understand, I'm in the same situation."

They're both feeling a sense of relief at the shared news, and Zach asks, "Really? Is it someone from church?'

Beth can think of no reason to keep it a secret, "No he doesn't go to our church."

Zach nods and tells her, "Well my Sweetheart does, you know her. It's Amy Harrison."

"Amy? Really? Oh, I like her so much. Your Mother doesn't approve of Amy?"

"No and it's not even Amy's fault. It's her older sister, Andrea. She has a reputation of being a…," He catches himself and manages to phrase it more delicately, "for enjoying the company of men. A lot of men."

Beth's hand covers her mouth, "Oh my." Then she catches herself, "Well Amy certainly can't be responsible for her sister's behavior."

"Thank you for saying that Beth, that's the argument I've made with my Mother."

Daryl has been at the park fifteen minutes waiting for Beth. They agreed to meet at "their" bench, the one surrounded by flowering bushes. He can't imagine what could be making her late and he's starting to become concerned. Beth is never late for anything.

Could there have been an accident at the house? Did something happen along the way? He glances at his watch and makes an agreement with himself. He'll wait another fifteen minutes. If she's not here by then he'll go straight to Horvath's and find out what's happened.

He's no longer sitting on the bench, he's pacing in front of it and when the next fifteen minutes are up, he's sure something must have gone terribly wrong.

He hurries to the truck and makes it back to the boarding house in record time. He doesn't pull around the side, he pulls right up front and hurries in the door.

By now Beth has shared with Zach that she too is in a forbidden romance. "He's not someone you would know, at least I can't imagine you would. As I mentioned, he doesn't attend our church and he's a little older than you. Nearly 30."

They're still whispering, they don't want the Horvaths to hear they're conversation. Although, surprisingly for both of them it's a conversation they're enjoying. They're being honest, talking of similar challenges, and there's quite a bit of laughter.

That's what they're doing when Daryl walks in the front door. He's sick with worry over what's become of his Sweetheart and now he sees. She's all dressed up and sitting next to some fella who is equally dressed up, while they sip tea and giggle.

His heart is breaking at the same time anger has his adrenaline pumping. She starts to speak his name, "Dar…," but he doesn't acknowledge them in any way. He takes the stairs two at a time, gets in his room and slams the door, loud enough that Beth hears it. Oh no, oh no, oh no.

He wants to punch something, he wants to kill someone, he wants to die. And something happens to him that hasn't happened to him since the day his Mama died, he feels tears in his eyes. Fuck. What the hell happened?

He just finished painting the bedroom yellow, thinking maybe someday he might actually get the chance to bring her there. He knows now that's never going to happen.

He gets out of his fancy clothes and into a pair of dungarees and a flannel shirt, pulls his suspenders up and he's out of the room. He practically flies down the back stairs and out the side door. He needs a drink and he knows where to get one.

He shows up at his brother's house and Merle knows immediately, something happened and that something wasn't good.

They sit on the back porch and although Merle agrees they'll have a nip, he doesn't let Daryl nip much. First he wants to hear the story. Daryl tells it all, no longer interested in trying to hide anything, what's the point?

When he's done Merle looks at him and asks, "That's it?"

In an angry voice Daryl barks back, "Ain't that bad enough?"

Merle studies his younger brother for a minute. He knows no matter how hard the kid tries to hide it, he's a little sensitive and at the same time he can be a real hothead. Both those traits seem to be working on him now, "I don't know brother, you tell me. I mean did it occur to ya the guy might be an old friend, a brother or a cousin who dropped by unexpected? Ya said ta me just the other night she's a good girl, proper n all. That don't sound like the type ta be carryin' on two romances at once, and one of em right there in her boss's parlor."

That simple logic has Daryl cussing and shaking his head at himself, "Shit, you're right brother."

Carol insists he stay and have a bite to eat, and by the time the meal is done and he's talked it out one more time with both Merle and Carol, he doesn't get home until 7:30. He's grateful he had a shower earlier at his place, all he needs to do now is write her a note and get his ass to bed.

It's short and to the point, _"I was a jerk, I shouldn't have run out like I did. It shook me up seeing you talking and laughing with some other guy, but I know that ain't a good excuse. I won't be going to Merle's tonight because I'm hoping you'll agree to meet me out back and we can talk. Please, Beth, please. I'm sorry, Daryl"_.

Come morning he's standing against the wall in the sitting area, waiting for her. The minute she comes through the door from the kitchen carrying the coffee pot he whispers, "Beth." She turns to look at him and the sight of her has him feeling worse than he did. Her eyes are red-rimmed and puffy and he knows she's been crying. She doesn't speak, she just takes the note from him and slips it in her apron pocket.

He's about to hurry ahead of her when she whispers, "Wait," And she hands him a note. He nods as he stuffs it in his shirt pocket and then hurries to the table.

After the meal, when the other fellas have left the table he reads her note, _"Dear Daryl, It wasn't what you must have been thinking. I wish you would have given me a chance to explain instead but you were so angry. If I'd had a chance to talk to you, I could have explained everything. Beth"_

He feels like an asshole, and he knows he deserves to feel that way. She walks back in the dining room but there's no chance to talk, no chance to apologize again. Mrs. Horvath is right behind her. He nods his head and says, "Goodbye ladies, have a nice day."

And when Beth responds, "You as well Mister Daryl, we'll see you tonight," he knows she's agreed to meet him. Thank God.

He's sure it's the longest day of his life but it's finally over and he gets to see her again, and tonight they'll talk. They'll work it out, they have to. He bounds up the stairs, washes for dinner and joins the other men at the table.

It's not two minutes after he sits when Mister Horvath comes walking in the room. His face and his tone are solemn as he explains, "I have to apologize and ask for your patience gentlemen. We're a little behind schedule. If you can just wait a bit longer, Mrs. Horvath will be serving your meal in no more than fifteen minutes."

The man seems shaken and Daryl can feel his own heart pounding with concern. It's Aaron who speaks up and asks the question on everyone's mind, "Has something happened? Where's Miss Beth this evening?"

Mr. Horvath takes in a deep breath and answers, "I'm sorry to tell you this gentlemen, Miss Beth has suffered a serious accident."

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well dang. Please leave a comment and let me know your thoughts. I'll be back next Friday with another chapter of The Stranger Upstairs and I hope you'll be here too. Until then thank you so much and remember, I love ya large! xo gneebee


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much, again! I apologize for leaving you on a cliff, but I'm going to do my best to make it up to you right now. I hope you enjoy.

00

His chair flies back from the table and he's on his feet demanding, "Whaddya mean accident?! Where is she? Where's Beth?!"

Abraham and Aaron are on their feet next, trying to calm him with words like, "Daryl, come on now, you don't want trouble."

There's simply no stopping him and seeing the look in the boarder's eyes has Mister Horvath quietly replying, "She's in her room Son. The doctor just left."

As Daryl begins to head that way the older man reaches out and with surprising strength clasps the boarder's arm, stopping him long enough to say, "She's badly hurt and she's going to need you to be strong for her, and no matter how you're feeling, try and act calm. Even if you don't feel calm."

The words of caution add to Daryl's anxiety and concern, but he knows the man's right and before breaking free of his grasp he nods and says, "I will be." He'll be whatever he has to be and do whatever he has to do, for her.

His heart is pounding as he walks quickly through the sitting room, then the kitchen and then he's at Beth's door. He stops just long enough to try and steady his breathing and his nerves before entering.

His hand is on the knob and Mrs. Horvath is at his side, tugging at his sleeve as she tries to stop him, "You cannot go in her room Mister Dixon!" He looks at the woman but it's like he doesn't really see or hear her. It wouldn't matter anyway; nothing is going to prevent him from seeing Beth. He doesn't bother to do so much as knock before turning the knob and entering Beth's room.

What he sees breaks his heart.

For a moment he can't move, it's like his boots are nailed to the floor. All he can do is try to calm his heartbeat but his heart won't stop racing. He isn't even aware that Mrs. Horvath is still admonishing him, and he doesn't hear her husband as he takes Miss Erma's arm and leads her back toward the kitchen, telling his wife, "There's no sense trying to keep the man away Dear, I don't think we could. Besides, this might just be for the best."

Mrs. Horvath nods, resigning herself. Why does she continue to fight this? Why did she even bother to try in the first place? She's known almost since the day the boarder first moved in, him and her Sweet Beth had an attraction that wouldn't be denied.

For now she has to take care of the task at hand, she's got a house to run. All she can do is silently pray for the best as she rolls the cart into the dining to feed the table of hungry men, while also explaining to them what has happened.

**Earlier**

It's Monday morning and Beth's tired and doesn't have nearly her usual level of energy. The explanation is simple, she's been up half the night as the scene played over and over again in her mind. Everything about it is so vivid; the look on his face when he walked in the door and saw her and Zach, the way he rushed up the stairs without even speaking, followed by the sound of his door slamming. Moments later she clearly heard his feet hitting the back stairs, even though his truck was parked at the curb he didn't come through the front room. Instead she heard the backdoor shutting hard. He must have hurried around because it was only seconds later when she heard the engine of the panel truck coming back to life.

Zach caught on to her distress right away whispering his question, "That's him, isn't it? He's your Sweetheart."

She was trying so hard not to cry, but she was certain she must look as upset as she felt when she whispered back, "Yes, we were supposed to meet in the park at two."

"No wonder he's mad. He probably thinks he's been stood up for some other guy."

What a horrible thought, and yet she realizes Zach is probably right. She isn't sure what to do or say next, and even if she did know what to say she isn't sure she can speak without starting to cry. She simply nods in response as Zach gets to his feet. He extends a hand to her and she stands too, and he apologizes, "I'm sorry this happened Beth, but I'm sure he'll come around." He smiles and adds, "You're a great girl, if he's got any brains at all he won't be able to stay away."

His expression and tone become more serious as he continues, "And thank you for being such a good friend to me. Now that we've talked, I've made up my mind, it's time I start acting like a man. I'm going to tell my Mother I plan to marry Amy with or without her blessing."

That gets a genuine smile from Beth and she replies, "That's wonderful Zach, I just know it will all work out for the best."

As soon as her caller's out the door she rushes to her room and quickly locks herself inside. She practically falls down on the bed and has herself a long hard cry. Her feelings bounce back and forth between hurt and angry. How could Daryl have acted that way? It was such an innocent encounter. Of course, how would he know it was purely innocent? But how could he doubt her feelings for him? And why didn't he let her explain?

She's so sad, hurt and confused she can't seem to fall asleep, and when she does finally drift off she doesn't stay asleep. Throughout the night she wakes and thinks of him. Sometimes the tears she cries are caused by sadness, other times by anger.

When it's time to rise and start the day she scolds herself one last time, she has to stop thinking about all of that. She's already let it ruin her night, she's not going to let it ruin her day and besides, there's work to be done and chores to be completed.

With the coffee pot in hand she sets off for the dining room, but he's waiting and he stops her. He hands her a note that she slips in her apron pocket, and she hands him the note she wrote him. Just those little gestures leave her feeling hopeful, and when breakfast is done a plan is agreed upon. They'll meet tonight, they'll talk it over and she prays they'll work it out. Who knows, maybe they'll even kiss and makeup.

When the men have left the house, her workday begins in earnest. As far as the tasks the day holds for her it starts off like any other Monday. The first order of business is cleaning up the kitchen and as she does her chore, once again her mind is on Daryl.

She completes her work in the kitchen and feels a bit of pride as she looks around. She thinks of a phrase Daddy uses, "it's as shiny as a new penny." It puts a smile on her face as she picks up her bucket and the carpet sweeper, it's time to go upstairs and tackle her chores there.

In the short hallway she encounters Mister Dale and steps out of his way as he walks toward the kitchen. He's carrying a 25 pound sack of flour to replenish the supply in the big crock. Once they've passed she proceeds on her way until, just as her foot has landed on the first stairstep, she hears something she's never heard before and never thought she would ever hear. It's Mister Dale yelling a profanity, a particularly ugly word, followed by a shriek from Miss Erma and her words, "Oh Dear God."

It sounds as if there must have been some sort of disaster. Beth quickly sets her things down and hurries to the kitchen to help. It's an amazing sight really. Terrible yes, but at the same time it's quite something to see. It seems there was some sort of weakness in the flour sack fabric or perhaps it was a tear. It doesn't matter either way, all that matters is when Mister Dale accidentally dropped it, it was as if there had been an explosion. Now flour covers every surface.

As the three begin the work of cleaning up the mess they discover that it's not just surfaces that are covered, the flour dust has seeped into every drawer, every cupboard, every crack and crevice. By the time the cleaning work is done it's close to noon, and they're all a mess and in need of a bath. Miss Erma insists Beth take her turn first while she prepares them all a simple lunch of sandwiches.

Beth hurries with her bath, has her lunch, and even though she's so tired she can hardly think straight, she doesn't want to take her rest period. She wants to get right back to work because she's well aware, whatever she doesn't get done today will need to be done tomorrow.

It's after one o'clock by the time she takes the pail and the carpet sweeper and makes her way upstairs. She's still sneezing from breathing in so much flour, but she tries not to let it bother her.

She completes the task of thoroughly cleaning the men's bathroom and has just started on the baseboards in the hallway when she hears Mister Dale coming up the stairs with the Vacuette. As he sets it down he explains to her, "I cannot accept the loss of 25 pounds of good flour caused by careless packaging. I'm on my way now to demand a replacement. You just leave this contraption up here and I'll retrieve it when I get back home."

She nods, says, "Yes Sir," and gets busy finishing the baseboards and the wainscotting. Then it's time for the chore she hates the most, vacuuming. The machine is heavy and between the cord and the hose it always seems like something is tangled up or worse, wrapped around her leg. In addition, it's way too heavy and quite cumbersome. It doesn't seem to make the work easier, as far as Beth is concerned it makes it harder. Still it's her job and she doesn't ever complain, she simply does her best.

When the upstairs work is done she's even more anxious to start downstairs, but Mister Dale has not yet returned. Ever since this morning's mishap she's been working as fast as she can and it's getting late. She'll have to begin preparing the table and dinner soon, and she'd sure like to get the living room vacuumed first.

Later she'll blame what happened squarely on her own shoulders. Miss Erma told her several times today to just do what she could do, assuring her that they'd catch up on the rest of the work throughout the week. "It will get done and Mister Dale has even promised he'll pitch in and help. You already look so exhausted, if you tire yourself out too much you'll get sick. We don't want that, do we Beth?"

She replies "No Ma'am," but she doesn't follow the advice. Maybe it was work ethic, maybe it was misplaced pride, maybe it was just her stubborn determination. Whatever the reason it causes her to make a serious error of judgement. She keeps thinking about how if she could just get that vacuuming done she'd be all caught up. The chore doesn't take too long and the vacuum is right there, she just has to get it down the stairs.

If she can manage to do that and get the table set, she'll be able to start on the men's dinner and have it ready to serve on time. Tomorrow she would only have Tuesday's usual chores. She's grateful tonight's meal is simple, it's something a little different this Monday. There will be patties of fried venison burger, mashed potatoes, gravy, peas and biscuits. Of course, there will also be Miss Erma's tapioca pudding for dessert.

So Beth makes her fateful decision, she's going to stop being such a baby. She's a grown woman for gosh sake. And the Horvaths have been overly cautious just because of that one little mishap. She's perfectly capable of carrying the Vacuette down the stairs.

It takes both hands for her to carry the machine which means no holding onto the banister. She'll just be extra careful. She takes a deep breath and steps down stair one, then two, and as her right foot lands on the third step she sneezes what is surely the biggest sneeze of her life. Between it, and the cumbersome size and weight of the machine she loses her balance.

As it's happening she doesn't feel pain, only fear and panic as she begins to tumble down the staircase, certain she's going to die. In her terror she retains a tight grip on the Vacuette, as if it will save her. She thinks she may be screaming but she can't be certain, and then everything goes dark.

There was one blessing. The linen service delivery man, a big and very kind Negro fellow by the name of Tyrese, happens to be carrying in the freshly laundered bed linens for Miss Erma. They hear the commotion just as Mister Dale is walking in the back door. Immediately all three rush toward the terrible sound.

She lay there, eyes closed and blood pouring from her cheek and forehead. Miss Erma is in tears but that doesn't stop her from saying, "Dale, hurry, get the doctor."

"I will, but we can't just leave her here." He looks to the only one among them he knows has the strength, "Will you carry her Tyrese?"

"I surely will. I'll carry Miss Beth wherever you say, Sir."

"Yes, please, let's get her to her room, and thank you. I'm going for the doctor."

The big man effortlessly picks up the young woman and follows Miss Erma, and on the way to her room Beth regains consciousness. She's confused and panics again, "What are you doing Tyrese?"

"I'm not gonna hurt ya Miss Beth. I'm just gettin' ya to your room where you can rest."

He's gentle as he lays her down and Miss Erma already has a cloth in hand to gently clean the blood from Beth's face. The man asks, "Why don't ya let me carry the linens upstairs for ya Miz Horvath, while you're tending to Beth. I can put em away. Just tell me what door is the linen storage."

"It's just to the right of room 10, and thank you Tyrese, I don't know what we'd have done without you. I'll put in a good word with your boss. On your way out you go to the cookie jar on the kitchen counter and take a dollar for yourself."

"No Ma'am, ya don't have ta pay me. It's right that I should help." He looks down at the young woman who's crying now and says, "You get better Miss Beth, I'll see y'all next week."

He's no sooner gone than Mister Dale is back with Dr. Carson. The Doctor doesn't bother to tell them it would have been better if they'd waited for him before they moved her. What good would it do to bring that up now? He begins the task of assessing Beth's injuries and doing what he can to help her.

* * *

Work is harder than it needs to be. Mostly that's because Daryl is exhausted. Just thinking feels like a huge chore, and yet he can't stop thinking.

He had a terrible night but he doesn't feel one bit sorry for himself about it. It's his own damn fault. He screwed up and screwed up bad. Why couldn't he have just said "Hello" and waited to see what happened next? Beth would have introduced him to whoever that fellow was, then Daryl could have gone up to his room and waited until the guy left. He and Beth could have still had their Sunday time together, meeting secretly in the backyard.

Instead he's spent his time feeling miserable, and by the look of her eyes this morning he's responsible for her having a bad night too. A bad night usually causes a bad day, he just hopes to God that's not the case for Beth, and he's also praying her and him can iron out this trouble they're having.

Shit, they were getting so close, everything between them seemed so perfect, and then he ruined it all with his hotheaded bullshit. All the thinking he's doing, on top of how tired he is, is making this day seem a week long.

He's relieved and hopeful when it's finally time to punch the clock and head home. All he has planned when they talk tonight is to beg her for forgiveness. He may not know much about women, but he knows enough to know he never wants to lose this woman. Beth is everything to him and he owes her an apology.

He almost runs in the side door and up the stairs, hurries to wash up and he's at the table. He's so damn happy he's going to see her in a few minutes that he's having trouble hiding his smile. Then Mister Dale walks in and tells them the news.

As soon as he hears those awful words he knows he's done pretending. He's going to her and no one can stop him. If they don't like it well they can just handle that however they want, but he's got to see her with his own eyes. He has to know she's okay. He wants to see her breathing and he wants to hear the words from her, the promise that she's going to be alright.

Aaron and Abraham try to stop him, but they know it's useless. When he pushes them off they accept he's going to do what he's going to do. Miss Erma tries to stop him, but bless Mister Dale he takes her arm and leads her away. The man understands they'll be no keeping Daryl from Beth.

The minute he opens Beth's door and sees her laying there is the minute he feels his heart stop beating. She looks so small and pale and so hurt.

There's a crescent-shaped and painful looking red wound on her cheek and one above her eyebrow, both appear to have a lot of stitches. Her arm is laying outside the blanket, exposing her wrist which is resting on a pillow. Her hand and wrist have been casted in plaster of Paris.

That isn't all that's been casted, one leg is also outside the covers. The leg is resting on two pillows with casting covering her foot to just passed her ankle. What little he can see of her body is covered in angry looking red marks and bruising.

He hurries to her, dropping to his knees at the side of her bed. He lightly touches her arm and in a hushed voice says, "Beth, Sweetheart I'm so sorry. What happened?"

He sees the tears quietly streaming from her sad eyes and his heart breaks again when she turns her face away from him and toward the wall. Her voice is weak when she responds, "Oh Daryl, please don't look at it, I know I must look ugly." Her words are followed by a muffled sobbing noise.

Mister Dale is still there, watching as the scene unfolds and he says to Daryl, "I've got to help Miss Erma get dinner on now, then I'll tell you everything Son."

Daryl nods in Mister Dale's direction, then tries to reassure her, "You're the prettiest girl I know Beth Greene, you're always gonna be." He props himself on the palms of his hands so that he can lean in close enough to kiss her cheek, just above the fresh wound.

Her voice is so weak he has to lean even closer to hear her say, "I'm sorry I didn't meet you at the park. I didn't plan on what happened. It wasn't my doing…"

He feels as if he may drown in guilt and self-hate, he interrupts but keeps his voice low and tries to speak in a comforting tone, "No Beth please, don't apologize. Ya got nuthin' ta be sorry for. I was a jerk. I never shoulda acted like I did. I shouldn't have run off. I should have talked to ya." This time he places a kiss on her forehead.

The moment is interrupted as Mister Dale pokes his head in the door, "Son, you come eat now. Miss Erma saved you back a plate in the kitchen. C'mon now."

He politely tells the man, "I can't leave her, I won't."

To both his and Mister Dale's surprise it's Beth who speaks up. Although her voice is weak her tone is no-nonsense, "I'm going to be just fine right here Daryl and if you don't go to the kitchen and eat you're going to upset me. You've been working all day." He looks at her and thinks, isn't that just Beth? It's who she is. Even bruised and battered like she is, instead of thinking of herself, she's worried about him.

It's been a rough day and hearing the sweet young woman get after the boarder has made Mister Dale smile, he can't resist a little teasing, "Best listen to the boss son, c'mon." Daryl agrees only because she gets after him again, but he has every intention of making it the fastest meal he's ever eaten.

Daryl sits at the kitchen table feeling out of place and uncomfortable as he looks at the plate in front of him. His stomach has a mind of its own though, it's been growling for an hour. He shovels in a big bite just as Mister Dale sits down next to him and begins to tell him what happened.

Just as the man's mentioning how tired Beth looked all morning, Miss Erma's rolling the cart in the kitchen and Daryl makes a big decision. The cat's out of the bag anyway and he's tired of pretending and tired of sneaking around. It's time to just tell them.

He begins, "I'm just gonna come clean with you folks. What happened is my fault and I need ta tell ya the truth. I upset Beth yesterday. I got mad cuz she was here talkin to some other fella. Ya see, Beth n me, we been sneakin' around seein' each other for a couple months now. I woulda been proud ta take her out and show her off, but we knew she'd lose her job and she needs the work."

He isn't worried about what they might think of him, but he doesn't want them thinking Beth did anything wrong, so he adds, "I want ya ta know we wasn't doin' anythin' we shouldn't. I wouldn't ask that of her or take nuthin' from her. It was never more than huggin' and kissin' and talkin'."

He swallows another big bite of food and continues, "We was supposed ta meet at the park yesterday and she didn't come. I didn't know what ta make of it cuz she's always on time and I was gettin' nervous thinkin' sumthin' musta happened to her. I waited thirty minutes before I thought I best come back here and check on her."

He takes a deep breath before admitting, "I walked in the door and I seen her sittin' there on the couch with that other fella. They was drinkin' tea, talkin' and gigglin' and that green-eyed monster got hold of me. I acted the fool, I didn't give her a chance to explain, I just ran up the stairs and then I left for my brother's place. I upset us both. I didn't get a bit a sleep last night and I don't think she did either."

Mister Dale is nodding in understanding when he says, "Well I don't think it was your fault son, it was a misunderstanding, one I'm afraid Miss Erma and I had a big part in."

Daryl looks confused now, "How's that?"

It's then that Miss Erma comes clean herself and admits her share of responsibility. She tells Daryl about the visit by Mrs. Neudermyer and about the accusations leveled by the woman. She tells how she sent the woman packing, while also believing the story Shelly Neudermyer told. "I'm sorry son, I'm sure I misjudged you...no, that's not right. I never should have judged you in the first place."

She bows her head slightly and continues, "I should have just gone to Beth and asked her about the situation, instead I arranged for a young man from our church to call on her yesterday. I want you to know, honestly? There was no spark at all between them."

It surprises him he's not more angry with the woman, but there's something comforting about knowing these people are looking out for Beth and her well-being. Plenty of folks wouldn't care what happened to the help as long as the help got their work done.

Miss Erma makes a promise to him, "I plan to try and make it up to you both the only way I know. While she's recovering I'll be tending to her every need myself and she'll have the best of care, I promise you that. I just need to find someone quickly who can help me with the house."

Even as distracted as his mind is for some reason the idea comes right to him, "I know someone who might wanna take that on. She's been tryin' ta find some day work."

Miss Erma perks up, "Oh really? Who would that be?"

"My sister in law, Carol Dixon. She's a good cook and she keeps a real nice home. Her and my brother got em a place not far from here. Only thing is, they got a seven-year-old girl, they gotta be takin' care a her first."

Miss Erma doesn't even get a chance to speak, Mister Dale says, "How about you give me your brother's address and I'll go over and talk to him and his wife right now."

Daryl shrugs, "Sure, but I'm warnin' ya, my brother ain't exactly a…well he ain't that good around people. Just don't let him throw ya off, he's a whole lot rougher cob than me and a big blowhard, but down deep he's a good man."

It's then Miss Erma demonstrates the level of trust she has gained for the boarder, "If you don't mind, I'd like to go with my husband to meet Carol. I'm sure Beth will be in good hands with you while we're gone."

Daryl nods, "Yes Ma'am, I ain't leavin' her."

Then something occurs to Miss Erma, "What am I thinking? I can't go anywhere, I've got a kitchen to clean."

As if they've been summoned the men begin streaming into the kitchen. Of their own accord they've cleared the table, each carrying a handful of dishes and Mister Eric makes the announcement, "We decided we'll do the clean up tonight, you folks have had enough for one day."

Much thanks are expressed and within five minutes the Horvaths are on their way to the home of Merle and Carol Dixon.

They're no sooner out the door than Daryl is back in his Sweetheart's room. He thinks she's asleep as he quietly closes the door, and does his best to keep his steps as silent as he can as he walks to her bed.

Once again he drops to his knees beside her as his hand lightly rests on her shoulder. He's so tired himself that he lays his head on her mattress, and it's not long before he hears her whisper, "You need to get to bed Daryl, I'll be fine." She's not fine at all, everything hurts and she's sure if her injuries don't kill her the pain will.

His head's off the bed, he's looking in her eyes and the tone of his voice is firm, "I ain't leavin' ya tonight Beth."

Still she tries, "But Daryl, the Horvaths won't..."

He lightly runs his finger down the curve of her now swollen face as he tells her the news, "The Horvaths know everythin', I told em all of it. They ain't mad and they still want ya here. Mrs. Horvath says she's gonna take real good care of ya."

She can't quite believe what she's hearing, "Are you sure Daryl?"

"I'm sure. I think they think this is their fault, the same as I think it's my fault."

She's not hearing that, "It's nobody's fault but mine."

He smiles when he says, "Nah, now wait a minute, I thought we agreed it ain't no one's fault at all, it was an accident."

She smiles at their exchange, he always knows how to make her smile, but it hurts. Her whole body hurts and she thinks back to that moment she began to fly down the stairs. In the short time it must have taken her mind went to so many places, and in those few seconds she had her epiphany.

Life can be so fleeting and people shouldn't hesitate to seek the things they desire, and so she invites him, "Why don't you lay up here with me Daryl? Just lay next to me until we hear the Horvaths drive in."

She doesn't have to ask him twice. His boots are off in seconds and he carefully climbs over her so he can lay against the wall, away from her castings. He wraps an arm softly across her abdomen, asking her what seems like a million times, "Am I hurtin' ya Beth?"

"No, this is nice. It feels warm and comforting, the best I've felt since it happened."

He smiles as their foreheads press together and he cuddles a little closer. He softly says, "Sleep now Beth. Ya need rest." It's only seconds later that he hears the sounds of sleep from her.

He looks at her bruised and scared but still pretty face and dares to hold her just a little tighter as he softly whispers, "I love ya Beth," and he's out like a light.

00

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It seems everyone got honest. Please leave a comment and let me know your thoughts. I'll be back next week with more of The Stranger Upstairs, I hope you'll be here too. Until then remember, I love ya large! xo gneebee


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all very much. That was a big chapter and so is this one. We have the Horvaths meeting the elder Dixons, Daryl and Beth in bed, and I think Daryl might surprise you with the way he takes care of business! :)

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It's not their way to be calling on folks so late in the evening, it's nearly seven, but the Horvaths know they need help and they pray Daryl's brother and his family will be understanding.

It's not but a moment after Dale raps on the apartment door that a big, rough and shopworn-looking fellow answers. His voice sounds about as pleasant as gravel being scrapped across asphalt when he asks, "Yeah, whaddya need?"

The Horvaths may be inclined to run the other way if he weren't exactly the man Daryl told them to expect. Dale replies, "You're Merle Dixon, correct?"

"Yeah and who wants ta know?"

"My name is Dale Horvath and this is my wife, Erma. Your brother Daryl rents a room from us."

Immediately Merle's thinking the worst, something must have happened to Daryl. "Get in outta the cold, c'mon in hurry," and as he's shutting the door behind them he asks, "has sumthin' happened ta my brother?"

While they're assuring the man his brother is just fine they're also busy taking in their surroundings. The apartment is small but it's surprisingly cheerful and quite homey and tidy.

A woman walks in the room, probably from the kitchen, but she doesn't say anything. They can see she's taking their measure as she dries her hands on a kitchen towel. They understand, they're taking her measure as well.

The woman, who must be Carol Dixon, is slim with brown hair that's beginning to show a little gray. She has one of those modern haircuts, it's quite short. She's wearing a blue cotton housedress, clean and pressed, but definitely well-worn. She wears no makeup but she doesn't need it, her blue eyes sparkle and when she smiles there's a cheerful warmth to them.

In the far corner of the room a curtain has been drawn back revealing a small makeshift bedroom. A little girl sits atop a bed holding her doll as she carefully watches and listens to everything being said and done in the living room.

Dale Horvath tells the man of the house, "Your brother has sent us here to discuss a business proposition with you and your wife."

Merle can't imagine what that might be, "Oh yeah, what's that?"

It's then the woman of the house speaks, "Merle for goodness sake, you're snapping at these folks like an old bear. Why don't you invite them to have a seat and we can talk."

Erma Horvath is surprised to hear a woman admonish her husband in this way, especially in front of strangers. At the same time she does admire Carol's spunk and apparently so does the woman's big burly husband. He's half smiling when he says, "You're right, sorry folks, sorry Sweet One. I know I ain't got the world's best manners in spite of my wife workin' so hard ta drill some inta me."

Merle motions toward the sofa and as the Horvath's sit Dale smiles and nods, "No problem at all. I apologize that we've called so late, but there's a bit of a situation."

Merle has carried in a couple of kitchen chairs and he and Carol have seated themselves across from the visitors. Merle gives them a questioning look and says, "I'm all ears."

Dale Horvath is used to dealing with people of all types. He was a merchant for many years, and for the past several years he's run a house full of men. He's seen his share of coarse ones but he's never met anyone quite like Merle Dixon. It's as if the man is doing his best to present a friendly demeanor, and yet anyone speaking to him must surely worry that if they should happen to utter the wrong word, they'll be soundly pummeled.

Still the visitor smiles and tells the man and his wife why they've come.

By the time he's stated the reason for the call, including the story of the accident that befell their hired girl, and he's explained the sort of help they need, Merle Dixon's antenna have gone up, "Wait a minute now, this hired girl, she ain't the woman named Beth is she?"

Dale responds, "Why yes, Beth." And he asks because at this point anything seems possible, "Have you met her?"

Merle's on his feet and his tone is sharper, "No, we ain't had that pleasure but we heard about her. You say she's gonna be alright but what about my brother? How's he holdin' up? He's got some feelins for that girl." Before they can answer he turns to his wife and says, "Maybe I best go check on little brother."

The Horvaths have just witnessed the still rough, but also caring and concerned side of the boarder's brother. Dale assures the man, "Daryl's fine. We had dinner with him before we left and we had a good talk. He's with Beth now."

"So you're the folks who didn't want the hired girl fallin' in love with a boarder, but now ya talked ta little brother and decided he might be good enough after all, is that about right?"

Dale answers with a smile, "I never thought of your brother as anything but a fine young man. But yes, we've discouraged the help from mingling with the boarders, however, we see now we made a mistake and we are no longer inclined to interfere."

Merle nods, "Ya made the right decision. Daryl's as good or better'n any man, that's a fact." Then he gets to their proposition as his eyebrows furrow and he rubs his chin, "I'm real sorry for your trouble but my wife ain't got time for all that work. She's got her own family ta care for right here, me and our daughter Sophia."

The Horvath's hearts sink, the man of the family has spoken and that seems to be the end of it. But no. Carol Dixon stands and says, "Please excuse us for a few minutes, my husband and I are going to have a word in the other room. We'll be back shortly."

Merle doesn't question her, he knows he must be in trouble over something and he doesn't want to make things any worse. They go to their room and Carol tells him, "I want this job Merle. I want to earn a little money so I can help us save for our own place, just like we talked about." She smiles when she admits, "And I wouldn't mind having a new dress or two."

He's a man who believes providing for the family is his job, "I can take care a my family Carol, don't ya trust me ta do that? I know my wallet's been a little thin lately but we'll be better off in a few weeks. Then I'll buy ya all the dresses ya want, and we'll find us a nice place with a room for Sophia."

She smiles, she understands just who she's married to. She lays her hand on his cheek and says, "Merle, you've done everything for us. Without you, me and Sophia would likely be dead by now. But why should you have to carry the burden alone? I want to do my part too."

"This apartment is very nice but we agreed we wanted our own home, and it would be so nice for Sophia to have a room of her own. Anyway, I think I have the time to work for them and still take good care of you and Sophia." She's standing so close when she smiles and says, "Please let me take this job Merle. I won't do it forever, just for a while. As soon as we've got some money put back I'll quit, I promise."

He tries to sound angry when he says, "Ya know you ain't fightin' fair Sweet One. And dammit, what about the man bein' the king of the castle? Whatever he wants that's how things are gonna be. How bout that? Didn't anyone teach ya that Carol?"

Once he gets that out of his system he has her in his arms kissing her, and then he says, "Alright, if it means so much to ya, but two things I want ya ta know. I ain't happy about it and I expect ya ta quit when we get a little ahead. I won't be the kinda man that lets his wife pay the bills."

She's smiling, "You're the best kind of man Merle. The best man I've ever known. In fact, when the Horvaths leave and Sophia's down for the night I might just show you how good I think you are."

He tries to look tough but his smile's showing through. He takes her in his arms again, kisses her, gives her bottom a squeeze and says, "Ya know, you can be a little bossy, but your sassy side makes up for it."

They return to the front room and the two couples begin to iron out how they can make this arrangement work. They have to accommodate Carol's need to care for Sophia, as well as care for her own home and family, while also giving Erma and Dale the help they need.

When all is said and done it's agreed, Carol will be there enough hours a day to do all the cleaning, set the table for dinner, and do all the baking. She'll also help with the dinner preparations, but she won't eat dinner with them. Dale will pick Sophia up from school at 3pm and help her with her studies, before taking Carol and Sophia home at 4:30.

One other big decision Dale has made is all the linens will now go to the laundry service. No more washing and ironing at home. To Erma's shock, and relief, he also states, "I'll be the one to do the dinner dishes, it won't take me nearly as long as it takes you or Beth."

Erma can't help being a bit skeptical, "We'll see if you do as thorough a job as me or Beth."

It's going to be a lot more work for Erma, and a lot more work and expense for Dale, but choices are limited.

By the time the Horvaths return home it's well after eight o'clock. They should have been in bed by now, tomorrow's the start of their new routine. Erma won't have any help until Merle drops Carol off at the boarding house at 7:30. Breakfast will be over and most of the men will already be gone.

The Horvaths enter through the side door, then the door that leads to the main house. They stop at Beth's room and Erma quietly opens the door to check on her young patient. She's so stunned by what she sees she's unable to speak, and Dale looks in to see what's got her in such a state.

Laying there in the bed is poor Beth looking like she's been beaten half to death, with the boarder cuddled up next to her and holding on like his own life depends on it.

Erma has found her voice and she's just about to have a fit, but Dale quietly shuts Beth's door and whispers to his wife, "Not now Dear One. They're sound asleep. I'll have a talk with him tomorrow. For now those two are just plain worn out and he isn't going to bother her or hurt her."

He can't help chuckling when he adds, "Besides, they both have all their clothes on." He kisses her head, winks and asks, "Don't you remember how it was when we were young and love was new? You couldn't keep your hands off me."

She pushes at his chest with an open palm, "Dale Horvath, you old stinker. That's not the way I remember it at all. I recall you were the one who couldn't keep your hands off me."

He's still chuckling when he says, "Maybe we couldn't keep our hands off each other."

00

Something wakes Daryl and he glances at the clock, 3:45 am. There's a sound and at first he's a little disoriented. Then everything that's happened comes rushing back to him and he realizes the sound he hears is Beth's quiet crying. Instantly he feels that hurt in his heart and he can't bear the sight of her tears, or the the pained expression on her face. He gently cups her cheek and asks, "Sweetheart, ya okay?"

"I…everything hurts so much Daryl. Everything," and a ragged sob escapes her.

He feels the desperation of wanting to take her pain away and yet knowing he's powerless. He understands all too well the kind of physical pain she's in. He's had his share of broken bones, split lips, welts and bruises, and he'd happily take all of it on again if it meant she wouldn't have this pain. He presses his forehead to hers and whispers, "Ah Beth, I'm so sorry. Did the doc give ya sumthin' for it? Some medicine? Pills of some kind?"

"Yes, there's a tincture of something. I think Miss Erma put it in the medicine cabinet." Her voice has that crying tremble to it and it's still so weak and fragile he feels his heart break again, and he doesn't think he'll ever recover from the pain of seeing Beth in pain.

It seems to her like he's flown off the bed he's up so fast, and he's talking as he's walking toward the door, "Lemme get that for ya, I'll be right back."

The first thing he has to do is relieve himself, he makes it fast, washes his hands and finds the tincture in the cabinet. He's known a drug addict for as long as he can remember so he takes the time to read the bottle. Just as he suspected, laudanum. They may as well have given her straight morphine.

He takes the bottle and hurries to the kitchen, getting her a slice of bread from the box and a glass of water from the tap.

He sets the water glass on the bedside table and slips his arm under her, gently raising her up so he can give her a dose of the tincture. Before he does he tells her, "Eat a little bit a this bread, even if it's just one or two bites." She struggles with it, feeling too sick to eat, but he worries she'll feel worse if she takes it on an empty stomach.

When the bread is down and he's given her the medicine he promises, "It's gonna quiet the pain right down."

She closes her eyes and he lays her back on the pillow, not sure what he should do next so he simply waits, kneeling beside the bed and watching her. It's only a minute or two later when she starts to speak, "Daryl…I…" and she goes quiet.

He's once again overcome with that desperate feeling of wanting to do something for her and not knowing what that hell that could be, so he offers, "What Sweetheart? Tell me what ya need, I'll do whatever ya ask."

She has to tell him, she's feeling her own desperation, "I need…Daryl I need," The drugs help her nerves a little, she's just so embarrassed she could die. It will be far worse if she doesn't take care of this, "I need the toilet."

He doesn't appear to be nearly as mortified by this situation as she is, "Okay, I can help ya in there."

Then she gets honest about it, "I'm not sure I can walk, and I don't think I'll be able to pull my…get my…I don't think I can…"

"Get your pants down, I got it." Now he's feeling as mortified as Beth, but he continues to act as though it's nothing out of the ordinary, "I can help ya with that, and I ain't gotta look."

She doesn't have time to protest and he doesn't add anything further. He simply slides his arms under her and picks her up, cradling her as he holds her body close to his and says, "I love ya Beth and ya don't need ta be embarrassed. Please, just trust me."

She's longed to hear him tell her he loves her. She's yearned to tell him the same, but she did not imagine those words being said in a setting quite like this. She dreamed the exchange would be far more romantic. Still, even through her physical pain and her embarrassment she smiles and tells him, "I love you too Daryl and I'm so blessed to have you here."

Why did he wait to tell her those words? He finally admitted to himself he was in love with her, he just didn't know what was the right time or place to tell her such a thing, and now it's this terrible time and place. Not exactly any romance too it, but it's hard for him to care about all that because she said it back to him.

He stops long enough to kiss her and say, "I'm sorry Beth, sorry I was a jerk, sorry this happened and so sorry you're hurtin'. I just been tryin' ta think about better times when this is all behind us." She does her best to smile and he smiles when he adds, "Right now though, we got some important business ta take care of."

She closes her eyes and chides him, "Stop Daryl." But he sees the faint smile or her lips and he's glad he could put one there.

He pushes the bathroom door open with his hip, and once inside quietly eases it shut with his knee. He walks her over close to the toilet and asks, "If I get your gown pulled up can ya hold it up?"

"Yes, I'm sure I can."

"K, well once we get ya sittin' ya won't have ta hold it up no more. He slowly and gently sets her on her feet with her back to the toilet, and as close to it as he can get her. She keeps her eyes closed and he does his best not to look as she rests her good hand on his shoulder for balance and he lifts the hem of her gown.

He's relieved to have that part done without mishap, and he's glad she seems to be able to keep the gown up, but now comes the tougher part for both of them. "I ain't gonna look, I promise." He does his best to keep his word and keep his eyes averted as he reaches for the waistband of her undergarment, gently tugging it down.

The worst part is what he sees while being so careful to keep his eyes down, and to not look at her underpants or her nakedness. It's her legs he's focused on. They're so battered, he's never seen worse. There's bruising that's begun to turn a deep purple, but also burns from the carpet and scrapes and cuts that must have come from the Vacuette. No wonder she's in pain, and again he wishes he could take that pain from her.

When he feels he's got the garment to her knees he wraps his strong arms around her waist and gently guides her into a sitting position. "Okay now, ya steady?"

"Yes, yes I'm fine."

"Alright, I'ma go ta the sink and wash up, that'll give ya some time, holler if ya need me." He's worried about the drugs she took and he reminds her, "Don't ya try any moves on your own. Don't ya dare try ta stand, alright? Promise."

She knows this has been as tough and as awkward for him as it has been for her, and she's frankly amazed he was willing to do this for her, "Yes, I promise, and thank you Daryl."

He feels the heat of embarrassment on his face but as he walks toward the sink he answers, "I told ya, I'll do anythin' I can for ya Beth." He turns both handles on the faucet to make noise and give her privacy, then decides what the hell, he has to clean up for work anyway and now's as good a time as any. Without turning toward her he asks, "Washcloth?"

"Top drawer."

"Thanks."

She's done, but she's not telling him that. She's too curious.

He's got a tank style undershirt on that hides most everything pretty well, so he's not worried about her seeing his scars without being prepared. He unfastens the buckle loops on the overalls and lets down the straps, the buttons at his waist prevent the garment from falling further. He unbuttons his work shirt and removes it, hanging it from the doorknob.

All the while her eyes are glued on him, especially what she can see of his back and the backs of his arms. There is so much raised, red and scared flesh, she knows the marks had to have been caused by a strapping, a beating she's certain he didn't deserve. There's something else she can see, part of a tattoo is peeking out from the top and armhole of his undershirt. A tattoo. She's heard many former soldiers have them, she just didn't know he had one.

The thing she notices most of all is his strong masculine build. Even in her broken and pained state she finds everything about his appearance tantalizing. She's known for a while how large and strong his arms are, and how broad and manly his shoulders and chest are. She could tell when he held her. But seeing them bare like this, why it almost takes her breath away.

She continues to focus on his body and how it moves while he washes his face, the back of his neck, behind his ears and under those impressive arms. The last thing he does is wash his hands again. She almost let's out a disappointed sigh as he pulls the work shirt back on, buttons it and pulls the straps of the overalls over his shoulders.

As he's buckling the overalls she faintly calls to him, "Daryl, whenever you're ready." And now they complete the earlier process in reverse. Once her underpants are up and her gown is down he reaches behind her, pulls the chain to flush the toilet and puts down the lid.

He helps her to sit on the lid and offers, "Ya want me ta get a cloth and wash your face n hands for ya n stuff?"

She never would have asked and she's so happy he offered, "Oh yes please, and I wish I could brush my teeth too. My cup is the green one on the dresser, my toothbrush and a can of toothpowder are in it."

He's so careful and he's taking such wonderful care of her, when all is done she tells him, "Thank you very much Daryl, I feel better by a mile. You've been so good to me and such a gentleman."

He doesn't accept praise easily but her words bring a thankful smile to his lips as he says, "That's good Sweetheart, now let's get ya back ta bed." He's gentle and cautious as once again he picks her up in his arms and cradles her small body close to his.

They get only as far as the bathroom door when it opens and there stands Mrs. Horvath in her dressing gown. All three are speechless for a moment, and then in a stern and frosty voice the woman asks, "Just what in the world is going on here?"

To the woman's surprise, and Daryl's as well, it's Beth who in a weak voice but with a tone as though it's as common as bread and butter, replies, "I had to use the toilet and I didn't want to wake you, so Daryl was good enough to help me. He also washed my hands and face for me and helped me brush my teeth."

Daryl's still standing there in the bathroom doorway with his Sweetheart in his arms. He figures he's in for a tongue-lashing from Mrs. Horvath, so he quickly says, "I'ma put Beth back in her bed now, then I'll talk with ya."

Mrs. Horvath can't quite think of the words to respond, a million thoughts are swimming around in her head. She simply nods and hurries to use the bathroom herself. She doesn't want to be thinking about having to do that when she has a word with him.

Beth can't help but marvel at how calm and controlled Daryl is, but the truth of the matter is she's simply not aware of how worried and anxious her Sweetheart is, how his stomach churns or the pain he feels seeing her in pain. He's doing a very good job of acting composed.

She's also quite amazed with the gentleness of the man who at one time she thought was so rough. Now she just thinks he's the best and most handsome fellow in the world, and also the man she now knows she loves more than anything.

He's so careful as he lays her in the bed and fluffs her pillow. He carefully lifts her casted leg and then her casted hand to rest them on the pillows, and gently smooths the hair from her face as he bends down, kisses her softly and says, "Rest now, it'll help ya get better Beth." And as if on command, she's out like a light.

He walks back out to the hall just as Mrs. Horvath exits the bathroom, and Mr. Horvath enters the hall from their room. Miss Erma's ready with a lecture on propriety, but she doesn't get a chance to speak before her husband says to Daryl, "Thank you for suggesting your sister in law. She seems like a real nice lady and more than capable. She'll be starting work here at 7:30 this morning."

Daryl asks, "So you was able ta get passed my brother, huh?"

Dale chuckles, answering, "He's everything you said he is, and I quite enjoyed getting to know him a little."

Erma still doesn't get a word in as Daryl nods and says, "Well that's good ta know, I'm glad y'all got along and I'm real glad Carol's gonna start workin' for ya." Then he turns to the woman and adds, "Miz Horvath, I just wanna say, it ain't an easy thing helpin' Beth in the bathroom and such. Ya might wanna let Carol do all that when she's here. My sister in law is built small but she's as strong as most men."

He's already taken the wind out of the woman's sails when he adds, "Beth's been in a lotta pain and she's been cryin' over it and such. I gave her a dose of the tincture in the medicine cabinet at four this mornin', it helped a lot."

He's thought about the best way to bring it up. He doesn't want her taking it for too long, but he doesn't want to get into the things he's seen, "That medicine, it's morphine. I sure wouldn't wanna take a chance of Beth gettin' addicted. Whaddya think about after these first 24 hours we don't give her no more? Maybe just some Aspirin."

Erma admits, "I didn't realize, I guess I didn't read the label. I agree, let's not let our sweet Beth get caught in that trap."

He doesn't let his relief show but he's feeling reassured. He's seen a couple of his army buddies and his own brother have to come off that stuff, he knows the pain.

"K well she's sleepin' now so I'ma run upstairs and finish gettin' ready for work. See y'all in a while."

When he's out of sight and out of earshot Miss Erma admits to her husband, "I have never been more wrong about a person than I've been about him."

Daryl's anxious to get back to her. Once in his room he hurries to put on fresh socks and a clean work shirt, makes a fast trip to the bathroom to comb his hair as best he can, grabs his cap and his work jacket and is just shutting the door to his room when he sees the men have gathered and are asking questions.

He gives them the short version of what happened and tells them about his sister in law coming to help. Then, if there was an ounce of doubt left among the men, he puts it to rest, "I'ma get back ta Beth now. I'll see you fellas at breakfast, and thanks for worryin' about us."

"Us." He realizes he said, "Us." Yeah, if he has anything to say about it that's the way it's gonna be from now on. Us, him and Beth together forever.

He's back in her room and sitting on the floor by her bed, watching her sleep. That's where he'll remain until it's time for breakfast. After he's eaten his meal he doesn't think twice, he knows Miss Erma's on her own for now so he picks up his dishes and the empty platter that held the bread and takes them to the kitchen, on his way to Beth.

The other men take their cue from him, carrying their dishes to Miss Erma, "You gentleman are all so thoughtful, thank you so much. I'll see if I can't find the time to bake you a pie for tonight."

He waits until the last minute to leave for work, he's never had so much trouble saying goodbye to anyone. She's awake and her pretty blue eyes look so sad, but she smiles and tries to make a little joke when she asks, "What am I going to do without you here bothering me?"

He smiles back and says, "Probably gonna do better than I'm gonna do without you." He kisses her sweetly and his tone gets serious when he says, "You just rest today and heal up, that's your only job." Without thinking he follows up with the words, "I love ya, remember that."

It doesn't matter how weak her voice is, her words have power over him, "I love you and you remember that."

Erma's just finishing the morning clean up when Carol arrives. She gives her new helper a quick rundown of their daily and weekly routine, followed by a more complete explanation of what happened to Beth. Then she tells her about the extra care Beth will need the next few days, "Daryl thinks it's best if you take care of helping her to the bathroom and such, he says you're strong enough."

Carol nods, "I'm sure I am. Can I meet her now?"

"Oh my goodness Carol, I'm so sorry. I hadn't even thought about the fact you two might not know each other."

Beth's awake when they walk in the room and right away the younger woman smiles and asks, "Are you Carol?"

Carol smiles back as she walks closer to the bed, "Yes, I'm your new family. I want you to know I'm going to help you with whatever you need help with Beth." Then she shares a tiny bit of herself, "I know how much it hurts to be badly injured. I was once pushed down a flight of stairs, but I promise you, the healing will happen and it won't take too long. You'll feel just fine real soon."

Beth and Miss Erma are both too polite to ask but Carol sees the concern in their eyes and quickly clarifies, "Not by Merle Dixon. He may be a gruff old so n so, but he would never lay on hand on me in anger. In fact, he's the reason I no longer have to be concerned that anyone will ever hurt me again."

That afternoon as Carol prepares to leave for home Erma realizes she's not had the hard day she thought she would. Carol has definitely proven herself to her new employer. The woman is pleased to see Carol doesn't shy away from work, and Daryl's right, she's as strong as most men. She's also nearly as good a baker as Beth. There are five loaves of bread baked, and by agreement Carol will take one loaf for her own family.

She's also made a breakfast casserole for the following morning, telling Erma, "It's better when it sits overnight, it will be ready to bake when you're ready, just give it about 30 minutes in the oven."

Before Dale takes them home Erma smiles and tells the woman, "You're a special blessing Carol. I'm so grateful you agreed to come work with us," She looks at the little girl and adds, "And I've so enjoyed having you here Sophia. You're a delightful child."

The only thing that prevents Daryl from driving home faster is he doesn't want a citation. He can't be spending his money on such as that. He's got a house to finish painting and furniture to buy.

He hurries in the side door, bounds up the stairs and washes up for dinner in record time. Then he's tapping softly on Beth's door and letting himself in. He hurries to her and kneels down by the bed, leaning in and kissing her sweet lips, "Tell me how ya done today Sweetheart."

That's how it goes every day for the rest of the week, they crave their time together not just to talk, but even to just simply be together quietly while she rests and he reads, and every day they're sure they fall deeper and deeper in love.

He doesn't want to work on his place Saturday because he doesn't want to leave her, but she insists, "Daryl, you won't have anything to do all day but sit and stare at me. My gosh, you'll be bored to tears. I'll be just fine with Miss Erma and Mister Dale and even Carol will be here for a while this morning. She and Sophia are going to come early to lend a hand with the food for the Sunday meal. I'll have lots of company."

He's reluctant but he goes because he wants to get the job done. He works hard all day, but he doesn't spend the night there. He leaves as soon as it begins to get dark, making a quick stop at a small diner to have a bite to eat before heading home to her.

It's the worst kind of surprise when he arrives and Mister Dale is waiting to tell him, "I'm sorry son, Beth's gone."

He's panicked, "Gone?! Whaddya mean she's gone?!"

"Erma wrote to the preacher's wife, maybe Beth's told you of her, a woman named Olivia."

"Yeah, she did."

"Well Olivia and her husband, Beth's former pastor, came to get her late this morning. It seems her father wants her home while she's recovering. We can't very well blame the man for that, can we?"

Daryl's defeated, "No sir, I guess we can't."

"I have heard the living conditions at her Uncle's place are quite poor, so the preacher and Miss Olivia will be caring for Beth in their home."

"Yeah? Well I'ma need ta get that address from ya Sir. I'll be drivin' over there tomorrow."

00

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So much going on. Please leave a comment. I'll be back next Friday with another chapter of The Stranger Upstairs, I hope you'll be here too. Oh, and mid-week I'll be posting a Thanksgiving short story. Until then stay safe and remember, I love ya large! xo


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope everyone who celebrates had a Very Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving and I'm grateful for all of you!
> 
> It was going along so well for our couple, and then she was gone. This chapter we'll learn Beth's reasoning for going, and we'll see Daryl go through quite a few emotions before finally deciding what to do next.
> 
> Keep in mind, it's 1930 :) Enjoy!

00

She's been crying the entire drive home. Not loud sobbing cries. Her tears are the quiet kind, the sad little ones that trickle slowly from her eyes and silently slide one by one down her cheeks.

She'll never be able to forget this day. She saw Daryl in the morning and he was so sweet and wonderful. They shared a kiss goodbye with promises they'd see each other this evening. Those times with him are what get her through her day. How will she make it now? She can't believe how quickly everything has changed.

For the most part she's been almost completely bedridden and so her day mostly consists of reading and napping. She hasn't been eating much but she tells everyone, including herself, that's only because she hasn't been doing anything to cause herself to be hungry. When she can move around better, she'll eat more.

For now she still can't seem to manage walking and she's starting to worry she'll never be better, while everyone else just has to keep doing everything for her. They all tell her not to worry, but it's _her_ ankle and she's convinced something's just not right.

She wonders if she should mention it to Daryl, but no, she thinks not. He already worries about her so much and he's got other things to tend to. Right now he's out there working so hard on his house. It's a house she wishes so much that she could see for herself. Maybe now that everything's out in the open she'll be able to. She just has to get a little better, then what's to stop them from taking a drive out that way?

Maybe when Daryl gets home tonight she'll ask him what he thinks of the idea. That's what's on her mind when there's a light tap on her door and Miss Erma walks in to tell her, "Beth, you have a visitor from home, it's Miss Olivia."

As the woman enters her room Beth tries desperately to prop herself up but Miss Olivia hurries to her and says, "Here now, you let me help you Sweet Girl." It's so comforting to hear the woman's voice and feel her embrace, it's the next best thing to having her own Mama there.

Miss Erma says, "I'm going to leave you two alone to catch up, just let me know if you need anything."

They thank her and she goes, and that's when the serious talk begins.

"Beth, I'm so sorry you've had this terrible trouble and I feel guilty that I encouraged you to come here."

Beth quickly takes the responsibility, "Oh no Ma'am, this was all my own doing, my own fault. There was no reason for me to be carrying that Vacuette down the stairs. I'd already had one incident trying to do that and Mister and Mrs. Horvath made it very clear to me I was never to attempt it again. Mr. Horvath would have gladly carried it for me, like he always has, but I was too impatient. It was no one's fault but my own."

"Well I'm still so sorry." She takes Beth's hand and continues, "Your Father has been beside himself with worry. He was already missing you so much and when he heard the news of your accident it broke his heart. He wants you home, he wants to see his daughter with his own eyes and know that you're alright."

Beth feels herself start to tear up, of course she doesn't want her Daddy to worry, but going home will only make things harder for him. She tries to gain control of her emotions, takes a breath and tells the woman, "No, I can't go home. It's not possible. There's no way my Daddy or my Uncle could help me get to and from that old outhouse, and at my age it would it be just awful to have my Daddy taking me to use the toilet."

Miss Olivia smiles knowingly, "I understand, you certainly can't have that. But Beth, the preacher and I have a big house. There's a room that's perfect for you and it's just sitting empty. There's a bathroom across the hall and I'm more than capable of seeing to your needs. Why Otis has even promised he'll bring your Daddy over to see you every day."

Beth isn't responding quite yet, she's busy thinking. It's true, Miss Olivia's home is big and it's lovely and it has all the modern conveniences. Miss Olivia herself is far younger than Miss Erma, she has the strength to help Beth. And she would be able to see her Daddy every day. All of that sounds just wonderful except for one very important problem, she'll be away from Daryl. That part wouldn't be wonderful at all.

Then Miss Olivia adds, "The Horvaths are wonderful people. I've known Erma for years and I know she'll do her best to take care of you for as long as you need it, but you and I are both aware that her health isn't the best. She's suffered with arthritis for a long time, that's why you were hired in the first place, and now caring for you has got to be adding to her pain."

That gets to Beth because she knows it's true and she feels the guilt of being a burden. She's seen how badly Miss Erma sometimes suffers, and how selfish would she be to add to that suffering when she could simply move elsewhere? And what about poor Carol? Besides the work she was hired to do, she has the added responsibility of taking care of Beth.

After much discussion she agrees but asks, "Can we wait until after dinner? I'd like the opportunity to say goodbye to everyone before I go."

"That's so little to ask and I'm sorry we can't do that, but you know how the roads will be once we leave Albany. It will be so dark and that old dirt road is so narrow. The preacher does not want to be out on it after dark."

How can she be even more selfish than she's already been? Can she insist like a spoiled child? No. These people have all done so much for her. She doesn't want to go, but it seems to be what's best for everyone. So, with an unmistakable sadness in her voice she asks, "Can Carol come in to help me pack? I'll try to hurry."

"I don't think you need to rush too much, it's just 12:30 now. You take your time. I'll send her in."

Carol comes in and when they're alone Beth asks her to help her write a letter, "Of course I will." By the tone of the letter and the sadness in Beth's eyes Carol knows that although the young woman seems willing to go, she'll be leaving Horvath's with a very heavy heart.

Beth wants to dress but Carol suggests, "How about we go in the bathroom and I can help you wash up and do you hair, but I'm afraid you'll be uncomfortable if we get you all dressed up. How about your pretty coat over your gown? Besides, that way Miss Olivia won't have to change you again when you get there."

It's a good thing she's going, she realizes it more and more, she really is quite a bother. Beth sighs and agrees, "You're right, I guess I just never imagined I'd be traveling anywhere in my nightgown."

Carol sees her distress and decides she's having a hard enough time, "You know what, never mind. You're right. Let's get you all freshened up and then I'll get that pretty blue dress on you."

Now there's at least a hint of a smile, "Thank you Carol."

Leaving is so hard she can hardly make herself look at anyone. Carol and Olivia get her in the backseat of the Model-T and Miss Olivia tells her, "The trip is going to go much more quickly than when you took the bus. You go ahead and lay down if you want to, and there on the far side of the seat is a nice warm blanket, don't let yourself get cold."

Miss Erma sends them off with a sack of sandwiches and three pint jars of tea and as they drive away Miss Erma, Mister Dale, Carol and Sophia are all standing at the curb waving goodbye. As Beth waves back she can't take her eyes away from them and the big house she came to think of as her home.

A flood of memories come rushing back to her. The day she got there and how excited she was when she saw her room, her very own room. There was plumbing too and regular meals, and when she got that first little bit of money she got to buy herself things she hadn't been able to purchase in years.

Then there was that day weeks later when she answered the door and there he stood. How could she have known how their love would grow, and now when they are finally able to let others know of their feelings, they're being separated. Will he be angry with her? Or worse, will he be glad she's gone? She's been a burden to him too. Will he still even want her?

Just as the preacher is about to turn the corner and the people she now thinks of as her family are about to fade from sight, she sees Doctor Eugene. He's come to a stop watching them, she waves to the man and he waves back shyly, and then it's over. They're all gone. Everyone is behind her.

It's just before dark when they pull into the driveway of the preacher and Miss Olivia's house. Their home is lovely and she reminds herself to feel gratitude. These good people have opened their home to her. They've promised to care for her and she knows it will be the best of care. If only Daryl could be here too.

If only she hadn't tried to carry that dumb Vacuette down the stairs.

00

"I'll be happy to get you that address Daryl, but first I think we should have a seat and talk about a couple of things. Maybe I can explain how this happened."

Daryl's wary, he's not in the mood to have anyone try to change his mind about going to her, but he does want to hear what the man has to say, "Alright Sir, just so long as ya understand you ain't gonna talk me outta goin' after Beth."

"Oh no, I wouldn't even dream of trying to talk you out of it Son, in fact I'm on your side and I'm on her side. But you're not going anywhere tonight, you're too smart to make that mistake, so sit. Let me get us something cool to drink."

Just as he returns with two tall dark bottles of beer Erma walks in, "Dale…"

Before she can speak a word her husband cuts her off, "Now Dear One, don't scold. Us fellas need a little home brew now and then, don't we Daryl?"

He could damn sure use a beer, "Yessir."

"Erma, would you please be a dear and get your address book and a pen and paper, we need to give Daryl some information, Olivia's address." He smiles and adds, "And if it took you a while to get back we wouldn't mind, we have one or two other matters to discuss."

Erma's been dismissed and she knows it. She's not happy but she understands what her husband is doing. Still she shakes her head as she turns to go and they hear her muttering under her breath, "Men, I swear you'll be the death of me."

Dale takes a seat across from Daryl, they clink bottles and the older man starts the conversation on a light note, "I didn't make this brew but I have tasted of it, it's not bad at all. The boy down the street and his Dad make it. I suppose with this prohibition nonsense dang near everyone in the state is making beer at home."

"Yessir, I know I've made a batch or two." Daryl's going to humor the old boy because he thinks the man does have something to tell him, and he respects Dale Horvath. He knows the guy is a straight shooter and he wants to hear what he has to say about the people who took Beth. Besides, he's not planning to run out to the country tonight. Maybe at first he would have, but now he's thinking he needs a solid plan.

Dale's demeanor has become more serious, "The first thing I want to do is put your mind at ease about where Beth is and who she's with. She's in good hands. These folks who came for her? They've been good to her, especially the woman, Olivia. Erma tells me she's been like a mother to Beth since her own Mama passed. So, although I know you're not pleased and I don't blame you, at least you know Beth's being well taken care of."

Daryl has so many feelings and one of them is something like rejection. Why would she go? Why didn't she fight it? They're supposed to be in love and she just up and left. He doesn't just ask himself these questions, he verbalizes his thoughts, "She's my Sweetheart, we're supposed ta be in love. Why would she just up n go with them?"

Dale does his best to explain, "Son, you have to try to see this from a different point of view. Beth's a girl raised on the bible and she's been taught a certain way of thinking. You know she's a sweet girl, very respectful and you've got to have caught onto the fact she's a little innocent and old fashion."

"The way it is right now her Daddy is the man of her family and if he wants her to come home she's inclined to obey his wishes. She loves you but you're her Sweetheart, you're not her husband. If you were her husband her Daddy never would have expected her to go home and she never would have agreed to it."

Daryl has no immediate response, what Dale just said needs to sink in. He needs to think, and the older man has more, "We also have to think about what Beth was going through. I know she felt like she was a burden to us. Things aren't healing as fast as the Doc thought they would, she still can't walk on her own even with that dang crutch and she's only got one hand that's working right."

"Think how you'd feel if other folks had to do everything for you, then you'll understand how she's got to be feeling. She felt guilty staying here and being waited on, not doing any work herself. Maybe none of us was bothered one bit by any of that, we were happy to care for her, but I do believe your Sweetheart has a little pride."

He claps the side of Daryl's arm and says, "You have to know son, her heart was not in leaving. I know she would have preferred to be staying right here with you, but I think she was doing what she believed she was supposed to do when her Daddy said come home, she went home."

This talk, Dale's words, they've all worked to trigger something in Daryl, something he's prepared to act on immediately. "Sir, I…well ya know I been workin' on my place a long time, and for a long time there wasn't any hurry. Now I'm in a hurry. It's so close and I think it's best if I move out there. Besides needin' some furniture all I really got left to do is the paintin' and maybe a little sprucing up in the yard. I can get a lot of that done at night after work. I could have the place done in two or three weeks including finding the furniture."

Dale nods, "I understand why this suddenly got more important to you Son, and I don't blame you a bit. You're a good tenant and we hate to lose you, but you've got to do what your heart tells you is right. When are you planning this move?"

Daryl has that look on his face like he's about to share bad news, "Well sir, I was thinkin' I can pack everythin' up tonight and go in the mornin'. I just gotta make a fast stop at my place on the way ta see Beth and unload it." He purses his lips and adds, "But I hate ta leave you high and dry."

Dale answers, "Two things I have to say while I'm thinking about them. Before you do anything else tonight you should go see your sister in law. Beth wanted to leave you a note but she just couldn't write it, so Carol wrote it all down for her. I don't want you to worry about us either, we'll have another boarder within a day or two."

"Thanks for your understandin' Sir and for takin' such good care a Beth." He stands and says, "I'ma go ahead and go ta my brother's now."

As he speaks those words Erma walks in the room with the paper in hand. She holds it out to him with a sad smile on her face, "I don't think you'll have a bit of trouble finding the place, it's a flyspeck of a little town. And Daryl, I couldn't help overhearing what you said to Dale. I want you to know, we're going to miss you and Beth so much."

Him and Beth. Like they're a team. Or partners. Or…or what?

It's getting close to eight by the time he gets to Merle and Carol's and when his brother answers the door the first thing he says is, "We been expectin' ya."

"Yeah, I s'pose ya have. I'm anxious ta know what this letter says."

Before another word is spoken between them Sophia, clutching her doll, has run over to him and as she hugs him the little girl says so sweetly, "I'm sorry Uncle Daryl. I didn't want Miss Beth to go either. Nobody wanted her to go."

Her uncle roughs her hair and tries to have a brave face and a smile when he says, "I know Honey, thanks. We'll get her back here soon. K?"

Merle claps his brother's back and says, "Carol's got that letter for ya. Me n Sophia's goin' in the kitchen and have ourselves a bowl of ice cream while you two talk."

Daryl and Carol sit on the couch but before she hands him the letter she explains, "You must know Beth loves you, and it wasn't that she wanted to leave. I think it was more like she thought it was best. Not the part about being away from you, but being near her Dad and her uncle and this woman who she's quite close to, Olivia, who by the way seems very nice."

"They shoulda at least waited til I got home."

"They waited as long as they could Daryl, but the preacher, he didn't want to be driving after dark." She pats his hand and reminds him, "And Daryl you know what it's like helping Beth. It's very difficult for Erma, I'm glad I'm there to help but I can't be there all the time."

He understands all of that but that doesn't mean he likes the way things are, and then Carol says something he hadn't expected to hear coming from her. Well from anyone really, "You know Daryl, you and Beth have been seeing each other for a while and I know…well I'm just going to say it, I know it's never beyond kissing."

She can see how uncomfortable she's made him but she's in this now and she forges ahead., "I'm sure you would have probably liked it to go a little further with her, it's a natural thing with men and women, but you respect her. You know Beth's a young woman who's been raised to think that even the little bit of closeness you two have had should have been saved for marriage."

She smiles her pretty smile and her eyes sparkle when she tells him, "You're a lucky man Daryl, you've got yourself the sweetest little country girl in the world. You might have to give some serious thought to how you're going to keep that country girl, what kind of commitment you're willing to make to her and to her Daddy."

He doesn't know what to say about all that. He knows he needs to do something but he feels overwhelmed with the way everything seems to be hitting him all at once. For now there's one thing he can't wait for any longer, "Lemme see Beth's letter Carol, please."

"Sure, I wasn't trying to keep it from you and I wrote it down word for word, exactly what she said." She laughs and adds, "She was looking over my shoulder to make sure I got it right."

She hands it over and as she's getting to her feet she mentions, "I'll be in the kitchen. Ice cream sounds good."

He nods, "Thanks Carol." And waits until she's through the kitchen doorway before carefully opening the seal of the envelop. He removes the letter slowly, almost like he's suddenly afraid to read what she has to say. What if she tells him she doesn't want him? He has to know either way. He takes a deep breath and begins to read her words.

_My Dear Sweetheart,_

_I hope you understand why I have to leave. My Daddy sent for me Daryl, I couldn't very well tell him no. I can't disobey my Father._

_I'm also very aware that I'm a lot of work and trouble right now. I'm a burden to poor Miss Erma and I'm extra work for Carol and for you. It will be easier for everyone if I'm gone. Miss Olivia has no children and no employment; she promises it will be far less trouble for her to care for me._

_I know you must be terribly hurt and I am too, and I don't want to leave you Daryl. Yet, when the preacher and Miss Olivia came for me and made their case, I knew I had go. I believe it's the right thing for now._

_I'm so sad I won't get to see you before I go. I want to stay and give you a kiss goodbye, but the preacher is nervous about driving after dark._

_When I get better everything will be different. Maybe I can come back to work at Horvath's again, then you and I will get to see each other every day._

_I'm disappointed I never got to see your place. I've wanted to for so long. I know you've put so much work into it and I know you're proud. You have every right to be. I'm sure it's wonderful._

_For now I pray you're not angry with me for going back home, and I hope with all my heart you'll come to visit me when you can._

_I love you Daryl and no matter where I am or where you are, nothing can ever change that._

_I miss you already._

_Love and Kisses,_

_Your Sweetheart Beth_

Sadness grips his heart and he feels that feeling again, the one like he might start to cry. He stands, trying to shake it off and then calls to his family. "Thanks y'all, I gotta go now." It's like his blood is pumping fast and if he doesn't get on the move he'll explode.

His family hurries into the room and his brother speaks. Every once in a while the big blowhard knows what he's talking about, and this is one of those times, "Remember little brother, them people are country folks. That means her Daddy is the boss. Ya show that man all the respect you're able to, whether ya wanna or not. That's how ya get the girl, and that's what ya want, ain't it?"

It's simple truth simply put. Daryl shrugs and mutters, "Yeah."

Carol smiles and confirms, "Your brother's right Daryl."

He climbs in his truck with the plan fully formed and laid out in his mind. Just like he told Mister Horvath, he'll be packing up his things tonight and leaving for his place early in the morning. He'll shower and put on a clean suit of clothes, and then he's going to her. To Beth.

When he gets to the boarding house he's surprised to see Dale Horvath is waiting for him. The man tells him, "Son, before you go up and start packing, I want you to have these letters. One is addressed to Beth's Father, the other to the preacher and his wife."

He goes on to explain, "They're letters of introduction from Erma and myself. We speak of your good character and your best intentions toward Beth. We let it be known that you have our trust and respect." He smiles, "We don't fail to mention something else that matters to a girl's Daddy, that you have a steady job and a good income, or the help you've been to us with food. These letters will go a long way in making your case with these folks."

Daryl's not completely oblivious to this sort of thing. He grew up in the hills and he's seen it firsthand. It seems mighty old fashioned, after all this is 1930, but whatever he has to do that's what he's going to do. He takes the letters and says, "Thank you Sir, and thank Miss Erma too please. If I don't see ya in the morning I just wanna say it's been real nice stayin' here with y'all."

Once in his room he retrieves the cardboard boxes he moved in with from the bottom of the closet, and it doesn't take long to get his things packed up. Two trips to the truck in the morning and he'll be loaded and ready to go.

He quickly does what he needs to do in the bathroom and gets in bed. Tomorrow's a big day and a long day. He tries to make himself relax as by the glow of the bedside lamp he reads her letter over and over until sleep finally comes.

Morning arrives early. He still has things he needs to do and he does his best to concentrate on those. He also tries to be considerate of the other guys in the house, this is the only day of the week a lot of them get to sleep a little longer, so he's as quiet as he's able to be. He dresses quickly, takes his boxes down the stairs and leaves the note of gratitude he wrote to Dale and Erma Horvath on the kitchen table.

He's at his place in no time and quickly has his things unpacked and put away. He chooses his best suit of clothes and takes his shower. He trims as much of his hair as he can without messing it up completely, trims his facial hair and dresses. He's nervous but he tells himself her Daddy can't possibly be any tougher on him than his drill sergeant was, except her Daddy could tell him he can't come around his daughter and that would be the end of Daryl's world.

He goes out to a spot near the pond and picks wildflowers, gets a couple of mason jars and arranges one for Beth and one for the woman, Miss Olivia. He secures them on the floorboard of his truck and then runs back in the house. He damn near forgot to take the directions and his letters of introduction.

His mind spins the entire drive until he finally pulls up to the pretty two-story home. He thinks it looks like something from a picture book with its big wrap around porch and white railing. But the best thing about what he sees is her. She's sitting in a porch chair with her legs propped up on something and covered in a blanket.

There's an old man sitting in a chair next to her and he's sure that must be her Daddy. He remembers Beth telling him that by the time she was born it was grandchildren her Daddy should have been having.

As he turns in the driveway he notices Beth and the man look up to see who's coming, and the smile that spreads across Beth's face is all he needs in the way of encouragement. He's more determined than ever, he's going to make her Daddy see he's a good man, a man who's worthy of his daughter.

He rehearses the plan in his head as he steps from the truck. He's dillydallied for too long, he should have done this weeks ago. Well, he's doing it now. He's going to have a talk with her Daddy and he's going to plead his case. He's going to ask for Beth's hand.

00

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There it is. Thanks so much for reading along and please leave a comment. If you haven't yet, I'd appreciate you taking the time to read my Bethyl Thanksgiving story, Giving Thanks. I'll be back next Friday with a new chapter of The Stranger Upstairs and I hope to see you here. Until then, stay safe and remember, I love ya large! xo gneebee


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much! Daryl seems ready to make a very big move, asking Beth's Daddy for his daughter's hand. Holy mole, let's see what happens.

00

His heart is thumping as he walks toward the porch with the flowers in his hand, but he doesn't give them to his Sweetheart, not yet. He desperately wants to get this right and he's pretty sure he should speak to her Daddy first.

He sets the two jars on the porch railing, removes his cap and extends his hand to the man he's pretty sure is her Daddy, while saying the words he practiced for the entire drive, "Sir, my name's Daryl Dixon. I've been callin' on your daughter for a while. I woulda come to ya for permission first, but since you weren't there with her I received that permission from Mr. and Miz Horvath."

He reaches in his shirt pocket, retrieves the envelop and hands it to his Sweetheart's Daddy, "I have a letter of introduction they wrote to ya."

It's then he turns to her, tips his head and hands her a jar of flowers as he says, "It's nice to see ya Miss Beth. I apologize for arrivin' here without an appointment," He looks between her and her Daddy adding, "and I hope I'm not interruptin' anythin'. I just had ta see for myself that you're alright."

She's all smiles and twinkling eyes when she turns to her Father and says, "Daddy, this is the gentleman I mentioned to you," then looks to Daryl and introduces him, "Mister Dixon, this is my father, Hershel Greene."

She smiles just a little wider when she says to her Sweetheart, "The flowers are so pretty and it was very thoughtful of you to bring them Mister Dixon. As for my health, I'm doing well, thank you."

Everything seems so formal it's almost unbearable for him. His arms ache to hold her and he's sure he could kiss her for the rest of the day without ever coming up for air. But he's made up his mind, he's going to do this right. Whatever it takes.

He turns back to her Daddy and says, "Sir, with your approval I'd like ta sit and visit with your daughter for a while."

Her Daddy looks a little out of sorts but begrudgingly agrees, "Alright I'll take this letter in the house and read it. You mind your P's and Q's Son, you understand?"

There are more than a few things Daryl would like to say in response to the old curmudgeon, but he answers respectfully, "Yessir I will."

Now her Daddy looks between them and mutters, "Alright, the both of you behave," before walking in the house.

As soon as Hershel Greene is through the door and out of sight, Daryl sits in the chair beside hers. As he eases down into the seat he lets the tips of his fingers softly skim the back of her hand and with their eyes fixed on one another he whispers, "It sure is good ta see you Sweetheart."

Her whispered words are more urgent, she desperately wants him to understand, "I didn't want to leave Daryl. I wanted to stay close to you, but I knew I was a terrible burden on everyone."

His voice is still low but it's taken on a sharper tone, "Don't say that Beth, it ain't true. You ain't a burden ta me, ya never could be." That's when he spots the little tear in the corner of her eye and quickly tells her, "Don't cry. Please."

He's chewing his lip and nodding his head like he's thinking deep thoughts, and he is. He can't quite believe what he's about to ask, and if she agrees it will change their lives forever. Never did he think he'd make a promise that was meant to last a lifetime.

He takes a deep breath and the words come out, but not quite like he rehearsed them. He stutters and fumbles with them but he still makes his position and his intentions clear, "Beth, I…I don't wanna be away from you, ever. I…I'm almost done with the house, I will be real soon. I moved outta Horvath's this mornin' and I'ma be workin' on my place every night. I want…well I'm hopin' that you'll like it and that you'd think about…I sure would like if you was to agree that maybe you might wanna live there with me."

There. No wait, he realizes he forgot the most important part, "What I mean is, if you think you might wanna get married ta me. If you was to say you would, well then I'd go in there right now and ask your Daddy for your hand. Do ya think you'd want that?"

Just like her Sweetheart, Beth's having a little trouble getting the words that are in her heart to come out of her mouth, and there are a different kind of tears in her eyes now. But he's no longer worried she's sad because she's smiling at him.

He waits, he's willing to wait however long he needs to while she thinks about what he asked. In the meantime his insides are churning and his head is spinning, he's so anxious and hopeful as to what her answer will be.

It's as if the shyness she had the first time they spoke has returned. Beth casts her eyes down, then finally looks up at him and says, "I want to marry you more than anything Daryl, but I don't want to be a worry to you, what if I'm never able walk right again?"

He no longer cares who might be watching or who might step out on the porch, he clasps her hand and gently squeezing it he answers without hesitation, "I'll carry you."

She can't help giggling and the laughter does a lot to ease the tension when she teasingly warns him, "I'm heavier than I look."

He answers back, "I'm stronger than I look."

She shakes her head "no" while telling him, "I don't think it's possible for you to look any stronger or more masculine.

He takes a more serious tone when he reminds her, "I really would pack ya around if that's what I had ta do Beth, but I don't think I'll have to. I think you can beat this. It's like I told ya before, you just gotta make yourself move. You gotta try a little harder. I know it hurts ta move your fingers or ta work that ankle, but you gotta. Otherwise they're gonna stiffen up so much ya won't be able ta move em ever."

He's very aware of something that's contributed to her unwillingness to try, he was a part of the problem himself those first couple days. Everyone is doing everything for her, and that's real nice, except it's not helping her get better.

Before Beth can respond a woman appears on the porch. He remembers his manners and is instantly on his feet, tipping his head when he hands her the second jar of flowers and says, "Ma'am, my name's Daryl Dixon, I've come ta see Miss Beth."

"Yes, I heard you were here. My name is Olivia Johnson."

He quickly reaches in his pocket and retrieves the letter, "Nice ta meet ya Ma'am, Mr. and Mrs. Horvath wrote this letter to you, my letter of introduction."

She accepts it from his hand and looks from one to the other of them, "Thank you, I'll read it here shortly." She explains, "We thought it best to keep Beth home this morning so we weren't able to attend Sunday services, however my husband will be returning from the church in just a few minutes and we'll have our dinner." Daryl's sure she's about to give him the boot but she surprises him when she extends an invitation, "We'd like you to join us."

She's inviting him to stay for the Sunday meal? He can't believe it, maybe there won't be as much resistance as he feared there would be, "Thank you Ma'am, it's very generous of you to offer and I'd like that. Thank you."

"Good then, it's settled. I'm going to read my letter now and as I said, the preacher will be home soon. I'm sure he'll be chatting more with you then." She takes a step and smiles, "And thank you for the flowers, that was a very thoughtful gesture."

"Yes Ma'am, you're welcome." Phew

Once back in her home she sits across from Hershel Greene as she opens the letter and quickly scans it. She knows the reason for the letter, just like Beth's Daddy knew the reason for his letter. They're sure the young man is there for reasons other than just visiting with Beth.

The truth of the matter is, the arrival of Daryl Dixon is not unexpected.

They learned of him just last night. Her Daddy was waiting when the preacher and Miss Olivia returned home with his daughter. As they all sat down to visit Beth suddenly burst into tears. She was simply inconsolable until finally Olivia got her to admit what was causing her such terrible unhappiness.

Once she began the story she was unable to stop, she told them nearly everything. She told them of the man, a man she loves who loves her too. She confessed they'd been Sweethearts for some time now. She told them of how he's helped care for her while she's been going through these difficult days, and that he only leaves her side to sleep and to work.

At first they were stunned. Imagine Sweet Beth having such a serious suitor, but then again why wouldn't she? What young man wouldn't consider himself lucky to be spending time with a young woman like her?

So no, the arrival of Daryl Dixon on this Sunday was not completely unexpected.

Olivia sits in the parlor across from Hershel Greene and quickly scans her letter before telling the man, "Well my letter is as flattering to him as the letter they wrote you. He sounds like a fine person Hershel Greene, exactly the sort of fellow you've always said you hoped Beth would marry. An honorable man and a hard worker."

All Hershel can see is that he's losing his little girl for good, the knowledge has him searching to find fault. His arms are folded across his chest and his manner is gruff when he states, "Beth is an innocent young woman, sweet and kind. Did you look at him? He's the kind of fellow that no matter how much you dress him up, you can still see what he is. He's coarse, and did you listen to him speak? And he looks rough. How do you know he wouldn't be rough with her?"

She keeps a smile in her voice while admonishing him, "Hershel Greene, are you sitting in judgement of the man based on his use of English? Or for goodness sake, on your perception of him based on his outward appearance? I'm certain Beth is way too smart to let herself get involved with a ruffian, and besides, a big strong man will keep her safe."

Hershel harrumphs, still managing to find his reasons, "Well he's way too old for her. I bet he's at least 10 years older."

Olivia gently reminds him, "Hershel Greene, surely you haven't forgotten you were twenty years older than Beth's Mother."

"That was different."

She shakes her head, "No, you were just as cranky then and yet Sweet Annette put up with your nonsense."

He does his best not to smile at the thought of his Dear wife, he needs to try and come up with some good reasons why the young man sitting on Olivia's front porch, this Daryl Dixon fellow, isn't good enough for his daughter. "He's not a farmer. I always wanted Beth to marry a man who knows how to work the soil and isn't afraid of hard work."

"Now Hershel, be realistic. Look what's happening to farms here in Georgia, and my goodness all across the great plains and the panhandles of Texas and Oklahoma. It's tragic. What was once good soil is turning to nothing but dust. Why in the world would you want your child to endure what those poor folks are going through?"

She doesn't mention how Hershel lost his own farm, a farm that had been in his family for generations. She doesn't bring up how he was forced to move his family to the home of his brother or the impoverished life they've lived since. There's no need to bring up all those painful wounds, they both know the hard truth.

Olivia is also aware that Hershel has no real objection to the young man, he's simply hanging onto some long-held belief that no man will ever be good enough for his daughter. Olivia though has her way of gently working on him until he comes around.

She smiles and notes, "And talk about a man who knows how to live off the land, my goodness, all the mention of the beautiful meat and fish he provided for the boarding house. No matter what else happens Hershel, I don't think you'll have to worry about your girl going hungry."

He shifts around in his seat, uncomfortable at having all of his objections quashed, "We'll see what he has to say after dinner. Maybe he won't even have the nerve to ask me." At least that's what Hershel Greene is hoping.

Miss Olivia just smiles at his words. She saw the way the young man looked at Beth and the way Beth looked at him. To her there's no doubt, Daryl Dixon will absolutely be talking to Hershel Greene after dinner.

Meanwhile out on the porch Daryl's asking Beth, "I s'pose they're gonna be rakin' me over the coals at dinner, huh?"

She smiles and attempts to assure him, "No, I don't think so. I think the preacher will have a lot of questions about your job and that they'll be out of genuine curiosity, not judgement. Miss Olivia will ask about your family and my Daddy, I think he'll ask what you know about working the land and if you drink alcohol. Daddy has no tolerance for strong drink and doesn't encourage it in others."

He's sure it's not going to be a cakewalk but he can work around most of those questions. Then she says, "And I'll be sitting right across from you and thinking all good thoughts about the wonderful man I know you are."

He goes a little crazy on that, like he forgot just where the heck he is. He leans in to quickly kiss her sweet lips, and just as their lips part they hear the Model-T pull in the driveway. She tells her Sweetheart, "Oh thank goodness we stopped. That's him. That's the preacher," and she waves toward the approaching vehicle.

* * *

Dinner is served in a formal dining room. It's a lot fancier than anything Daryl's used to. Heck, it's fancier than anything he's ever seen. The table is all set with a lacey table covering and matching napkins, delicate looking floral dishes and heavy silver flatware. As elaborate as everything is, the food is traditional Sunday fare. There's been no cooking in this house today.

There's cold fried chicken and sliced country ham, succotash, potato salad and Jell-o salad, a pan of cornbread and a basket of rolls. There's a pitcher of water and one of tea and a fancy looking chocolate cake sits waiting on the sideboard.

Poor Daryl has had a rushed morning and not a bite to eat yet, it all looks delicious to him. He thought he might be too nervous to eat, but with the way his stomach is rumbling he's changed his mind. Whether he's being questioned or not, he'll manage to eat his share. Besides, if he doesn't eat enthusiastically he'll insult the lady of the house.

They sit and the first thing that happens is a prayer. It's not unexpected, he is after all in the home of a preacher. Besides, he's seen it done a lot. It was common with a lot of guys in the army, and his former roommate always said a silent blessing before a meal. There are a couple of fellows at Horvath's who pray before a meal, and he knows his Sweetheart always says a little prayer of thanks before she'll taste of her food.

So, he's not at all surprised the preacher is going to say a blessing. What he didn't expect was to be included in the prayer, but the man says, "…and we thank you for bringing a visitor to our home this day, and we ask that you give us open hearts and minds as we come to know this young man."

The food is passed and they're all making small talk when just as Beth said he would, the preacher asks him about his work and seems genuinely curious to know. That's a sort of icebreaker before the real questions begin and the preacher asks, "So Daryl, how is it that you and Beth happened to meet?"

Daryl's sure the preacher and everyone else at the table already know the answer, but he goes along. He quickly swallows the bite of chicken, hoping he doesn't choke when he states, "Well Sir, I moved into Horvath's boardin' house a few weeks after Beth started workin' there." Then he gets a little more honest than he expected to, "It'd be fair ta say I was taken by her right from the start."

The preacher can't help smiling at the simple and truthful answer, "How nice. Are you still residing at Horvath's?"

"No Sir, in fact I just moved out. I have my own place. I been working on it for over five years, I try'n get as much as I can done when I'm not at the job." He's well aware he's got to show them he can provide for Beth and keep her in comfort, so he sells himself as best he can, "It's just outside the city limits, a five-acre parcel with a good house I built myself. It's got a spring-fed well and I got electricity and indoor plumbing too. There's a pond for fishing and all the wild game a person could want for eatin'."

The Preacher apparently plans to get every detail, and asks, "That sounds very nice, but if you've had this nice place why were you living at Horvath's?"

Daryl knows all eyes and ears are on him as he swallows his cornbread and answers, "Well Sir, it needed a lot of work ta finish it up. So while I was livin' at Horvaths I was workin' on it. I had ta get the plumbin' in and hooked up and the electrical. I been workin' on it every Saturday all day, and part of Sunday."

His answer has Hershel Greene asking, "You worked on Sunday? The Lord's day? What about church services?"

Uh oh, but he's done his share of thinking on the fly and he's ready to answer, "Well Sir, I admit I did work on Sunday and that I missed church. I wasn't raised ta give a lot of thought ta goin' to church and such. I didn't learn that until I's in the army. I did attend regular services then. I guess I just slipped away after that, but when I started seein' Miss Beth she set me straight. She told me I's gonna have ta start goin' to church if I wanted ta keep seein' her."

She uses her good leg to give his ankle a little kick under the table. He looks at her and gives a guilty shrug and she knows she won't stay mad at him for telling the little fib.

Hershel Greene reaches over and pats his daughter's hand, "Good girl Bethie."

Phew, he appears to have gotten through that part of the questioning, then Miss Olivia asks, "So do your parents live there in Atlanta?"

"No Ma'am, my Mama and Daddy have both passed. My older brother and his wife and daughter live in Atlanta though. Ya met my brother's wife, Carol. She's been helpin' out Miz Horvath since Beth got hurt."

Now Miss Olivia is all smiles, "Oh my goodness Carol is your sister in law? How nice. She's a wonderful woman, so helpful and she was so kind and loving with Beth."

"Yes Ma'am."

They continue their questioning throughout the meal but he finds he doesn't mind as much as he thought he would. Maybe some other day and situation he'd scowl and snarl something like, "it's none of your damn business," but not this day. He has a good reason to sit and politely answer whatever they ask, she's sitting across the table from him and smiling that sweet angelic smile. So, he'll do his best to answer whatever they ask. Anyway, at least they manage to keep the tone conversational so it doesn't feel so much like an inquisition.

As everyone ias enjoying their last bite of chocolate cake he expresses his gratitude to Miss Olivia, "Thank you Ma'am, everythin' was delicious."

"You're very welcome."

Now the time has come, the moment of truth is here and he musters up all of his nerve, looks at Hershel Greene and asks, "Sir, I wonder if I could talk to ya in private?"

The older man starts to say, "I don't know Son…"

But the preacher interrupts, "Hershel, please remember what we prayed about and be gracious." He looks from one to the other and offers, "Why don't you gentlemen go ahead and use my office, it's comfortable and quiet."

The preacher's office is impressive with a big mahogany desk, bookcase and file cabinets. There's an oriental carpet and the curtains are a heavy brocade fabric. Daryl's been so busy worrying about his own situation it took until now for him to realize, the preacher and Miss Olivia must come from money. Country preachers don't bring in the kind of cash it takes to afford all the niceties this house has.

For now there are other things to think about. He waits for the older man to take a seat and then sits in the chair opposite. When her Daddy doesn't seem inclined to be the first to speak, Daryl musters up whatever it takes and forges on.

It doesn't come out quite like he planned, in fact it's not at all like he planned. And it comes quick as if once he starts talking he can't get through it fast enough. He may not even be breathing. The important thing is the question gets asked, "Sir, I think ya might have figured out what I wanna ask. I'm here ta plead my case for your daughter's hand."

He's afraid if he stops talking now he may not be able to start up again, and so he continues, "I can promise you I love her and that I'll take care of her and her needs. She won't hafta go ta work. I own my land and house free and clear. It might not be all fancy like this place, but it's got all the comforts and if there was sumthin' more that she might want, I'd do my best ta get it for her. I ain't ever gonna hurt her and I'll always be true to her."

That's everything he can think to say and there's not anything Hershel Greene can find fault with. The man should be delighted, especially during these tough and uncertain times. The young fellow seems sincere, he has excellent recommendations from God fearing folks that are to be trusted. He has a good job. Beth will be taken care of and the cold truth is, Hershel is in no position to do anything for her. In fact, to his embarrassment it's his daughter who has been helping him out with money.

He does have one more question, "What about her injuries son? What if she never fully recovers? Then what?"

Daryl doesn't need to think about his answer, "I'll take care of her. Whatever I gotta do that's what I'll do. If I can't do it all myself, I'll hire help. Sir, I love her no matter what. That's that."

"When were you planning to have this wedding?"

"As soon as possible, Sir."

Hershel Greene just can't seem to give in completely. He tells Daryl, "It all sounds good Son but I'm withholding my final consent for now. First I want to see this home you say you have for Beth."

Dammit. Daryl hadn't expected this. It's not that he minds her Daddy seeing his place, it doesn't seem like too much to ask. What he doesn't like is the way her Daddy sounded almost insulting, or the way he seems to be toying with him. Making any demand he can think of and finding trouble where none has presented itself. If it were any man besides Beth's Daddy, and a man not quite so old, Daryl would be jumping down his throat by now.

But as bitterly disappointed as he is, and in spite of feeling he's being led around by the nose, he takes it. He takes it because he wants _her_. There wouldn't be any other reason in the world good enough, "Alright, I can come for you and Beth next Saturday mornin'."

He only gets a few minutes alone with Beth before he leaves. He tells her briefly what was said and she's as disappointed as he is. He wants what he wants and she wants it too. If Hershel Greene won't see the light and go along, then Daryl's prepared to take matters into his own hands and make Beth his wife without the old man's blessing.

What he tells her is, "You're gonna be my wife Beth, I know that for for a fact cuz no matter what else happens I'll see to it. In the meantime, I'm doin' this your Daddy's way one last time. I'll be out here next Saturday mornin' ta get you n him." His fingers lightly skim along her arm and he adds, "You think about whether you're willin' ta go against your Daddy if that still ain't enough."

She's scared, she doesn't want to think about trouble. She doesn't exactly address the matter at hand, she only tells him, "Oh Daryl, I can't wait to see you again and I can't wait to see our home. I love you so much."

"Not as much as I love you cuz that ain't possible."

00

When Miss Olivia brings her breakfast Monday morning Beth is still asleep, and it's no wonder. She was up half the night with a mind far too busy to let her sleep. She can't believe what's happening. She knows her Daddy can be a stubborn old coot and she's grateful Daryl's so determined, but she doesn't want trouble between her Daddy and the man she hopes will be her husband.

Aside from all that worrisome business with her Daddy, and wanting to be allowed to freely marry the man who has her heart, she has other concerns. She's not worried Daryl's house won't be nice enough, she isn't worried about their love and commitment. Right now one of her biggest concerns is regaining full use of her hand and the ability to walk on her own.

She can manage one or two steps if someone is holding onto her, but that's not enough. She can't even get around a room on her own. She still has that lingering fear and dread of being a burden to Daryl. She remembers his words encouraging her to try harder, and she thinks, "Well maybe I'll try tomorrow."

After breakfast Miss Olivia helps her dress and combs her hair and then it's off to the porch. It seems she and the preacher are both firm believers that fresh air is a cure for all that ails a person. Beth has no objection either. Although it's a bit chilly the sun is shining and the crisp air is sweetly fragrant.

They help her to the chair and prop her foot, and Miss Olivia covers her lap and legs with a nice warm blanket. Her book and a cup of warm tea are sitting on the small table next to her and Miss Olivia smiles and says, "I'll be back to check on you soon," and she's off to see to household chores.

There's someone whose been watching it all as he goes about his work. It's a man Beth has known her entire life. There's no one anywhere around these parts who doesn't know Morgan Jones. He's done some kind of work or other for everyone in the area.

Today he's working on the preacher's white picket fence, specifically the gate and latch. When that work is complete there are a few squeaky porch boards causing Miss Olivia some unhappiness, and the back porch steps are starting to warp from years of weather and hard use.

What he feels he's got to do now is address the situation he sees unfolding. Maybe he's out of line but he's not overly concerned about that. It has to be done. Someone once had to give him a kick in the pants and now he's going to give her one. He walks toward the porch but keeps a respectful distance and stays on the other side of the porch rail from the young woman. He removes his work cap and greets her, "Mornin' Miss Beth, how ya gettin' by today?"

"Good morning Mister Jones, I'm doing better I guess, and how are you?"

"Why I'm just fine, thanks for askin'." He purses his lips before questioning, "Can I speak plain to ya?"

She has no idea what this man could possibly have to say to her beyond a few pleasantries, but she's not particularly concerned. She can't remember a time in her life when she didn't know him and she sees no good reason to deny his request, so she answers, "Yes of course."

He nods his head and tells her what he sees, "I've known ya since you was a baby. You was always so strong and determined, plenty stubborn too. I remember a time or two you gave your Mama quite a fit with your stubbornness."

He smiles and continues, "I remember when you wasn't more than seven years old. I had ta climb up in that big oak that stood by the driveway cuz ya got yourself up there and wouldn't come down. You said you was gonna live there from then on, and there ya sat all sassy-like on a limb eatin' a peach."

She can't help laughing as the long ago memory comes rushing back, "Oh my gosh Mister Jones, I'd forgotten all about that. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry Miss, I had a good laugh over it myself, as soon as I was outta your Mama's sight." He looks down and shakes his head before telling her, "I remember another time I was out at your Daddy's farm working with him on the well pump. We looked up and there ya was, no older'n eight or nine, barefooted and you were walkin' along the fence rail. It was six feet up there! You was pretendin' you were a tightrope walker in the circus, holding your arms out ta the side and acting all proud of yourself. If you'da fallen, boy whatta mess that woulda been."

She giggles, "Oh my I remember too. Mama pulled me off of there and I knew I was in big trouble. I got my bottom smacked good too. Shame on me."

"Yep, that's the feisty little girl I remember and that's why I'm mighty disappointed ta see what you're lettin' yourself become. You're lettin' folks spoil and coddle ya and do everythin' for you. You know what'll happen don't ya?"

She's taken aback by his words, how dare he speak to her that way. It's cruel and uncalled for. But she's curious too and she asks, "No what?"

"Muscles were meant ta be used. Yours are all just gonna shrivel up and die. "

"But how can I use them when it hurts so much every time I try?"

"Oh it's gonna hurt, that's why ya gotta be strong, determined and stubborn, just like you used to be. It's gonna keep hurtin' til ya get em trained again and they yfinish healin'. That's never gonna happen when every day all ya do is sit here doin' nuthin. Your muscles are shriveling up more by the minute." He shrugs and says, "Ain't really my business, but I thought someone needed ta tell ya."

She's angry at him for speaking to her in this way, but in her heart she knows he's right. It's the same thing Daryl told her, but Daryl was a little more loving about it all. And anyway, how come she's letting all of these people run her life and decide what's best for her? She needs to stand up for herself, "Thank you Mister Jones, you're right. I'm tired of all this sitting around being useless. Thank you for spurring me along."

"No need ta thank me, it's all up to you. Take care now Miss."

"You too Mister Jones."

She sets the book back on the table, slides the blanket from her lap and lifts the one leg off the stool. She sets her good foot firmly on the porch and uses the chair for balance as she gets up and out of the seat. She pauses a moment taking in a few deep breaths and praying for strength as she looks over at the porch rail carefully gauging the distance. She's pretty sure she can make it in one long stride. She closes her eyes, takes one last deep breath and with her good foot in front of her she takes the long step. She practically falls forward into the rail but it's okay, she made it and she's hanging on.

Sometime later, when Miss Olivia comes back to the porch to check on her young house guest, what she sees makes her gasp in disbelief. Beth is up on her feet as hand-over-hand she clutches tightly onto the porch rail, and moving slowly, one foot in front of the other she makes her way along the porch.

00

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed it and that you'll please leave a comment. I'll be back next Friday with a new chapter of The Stranger Upstairs for a tour of Daryl's place and so much more, I hope to see you here. Until then stay safe and remember, I love ya large! xo gneebee


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you! Thank you! Well Daryl got grilled but he didn't give up. Beth got a good push from Daryl and a really good push from Morgan. We're going to start off this chapter with Daryl's return home from the preacher's and his Monday. We'll wrap it all up with Beth and Hershel taking the grand tour of Daryl's home, oh and a few other things :) Enjoy!

00

The entire drive home his mind is racing. First and foremost are his concerns about her Daddy. He's decided that if Hershel Green won't give his consent after seeing the house and land, it means he never plans to. Daddy doesn't want to let his girl go, he's dug in and it's a waste of time for Daryl to keep beating his head against the wall.

The simple fact of the matter is, the county doesn't care if they have Hershel Greene's approval or not. All the county cares about is that they're old enough and they have the fee for a license. That's that. Daryl's just going to have to explain to Beth that enough is enough and if she wants to get married then that's what they have to do.

The trouble is he knows it's a risky move. Just like everyone has told him, he knows she's old fashion and her Daddy's the boss man. She may not be inclined to go against him. So, it's going to come down to how much she wants this marriage. Whether she'll go against her Daddy to be with Daryl, or reject his proposal.

Does she love him enough to choose him?

Daryl hopes it won't get to the point where he has to ask, but he's prepared to if it comes to that.

He's concerned about his place too. He wanted to have it painted and at least have a little bit more furniture in it before he showed it to Beth, and now her Daddy's coming too. Shit, he doesn't even have a place where everyone can sit.

He tells himself he's just going to have to try and get done what he can and hope for the best. What more can he do? It's just that he sure did want to have it perfect for her. He's been busting his hump and he's so close. Hopefully she'll understand.

As he's approaching his turn off a thought comes to mind. He checks his watch, it's 6:00. Not too late to pay a call so he doesn't turn off the highway, he keeps driving toward his buddy's place instead.

They seem happy enough to see him and he's glad to see them. Their baby's just three weeks old now, a little baby girl named Edith. They ask him if he'd like to hold her for a minute or two, and although he's pretty nervous the idea does appeal to him. He's never held a tiny baby, he just knows they must be delicate, "Yeah, lemme washup first."

He sits and the baby's Mama places Edith in his arms. Daryl's all smiles and his buddy only half-jokingly says, "I never woulda guessed it, but I think it comes natural to ya Daryl."

Daryl doesn't argue that point. He likes cradling the tiny life in his arms. What's strange to him is, for some reason holding baby Edith has him thinking of Beth again. That makes him wonder if maybe some day her and him will have a baby.

He's never given any thought to the idea of being a father but now that he's found Beth and they're talking marriage; he can imagine it might be possible. The idea of having his own children is overwhelming, but then again, to think of having them with Beth fills him with a kind of longing.

Baby Edith starts to squirm a little and Daryl smiles, "What's wrong? Ya hungry girl?"

The baby's Mama teases, "I see you know a little something about babies Daryl," and she takes the child to the other room to feed her. He never thought he knew much about babies, but now he thinks he'd like to learn more.

His thoughts are interrupted when his buddy puts it plain, "Alright Daryl, I know ya didn't come over here on a Sunday evenin' just ta look at me and hold my baby. Is everythin' okay? Ya need help with sumthin'?"

Daryl tells him the whole story of what's happened with Beth and her accident. He tells his friend how she was whisked away while he was working and how he made up his mind shortly after, he was going to ask her to marry.

His buddy just nods and keeps listening as Daryl continues, "So this morning I drove out that way ta see her and talk to her Dad," and he tells the story finishing with, "now they're comin Saturday and my place ain't done. What I mean ta say is, it's built, everythin' works, but I ain't done with all the paintin' and I ain't got furniture, just my bedroom stuff and what I bought from your cousin."

His friend corrects him, "Well now that ain't quite true. You got a real nice bedroom of furniture, real nice. And that kitchen has come along good. Ya got the icebox and the wood cooker shinin' like new. I bet a wood stove was all Beth ever cooked on before she came ta the city. She's gonna like it just fine."

"Ya got that butcher block and it's a beauty. It'll serve ya for as long as ya care ta keep it. You got a table n chairs ta eat at, and that big ol' kitchen cabinet. That's a real nice piece a furniture and it'll hold all the dishes Beth might wanna put in." He gives Daryl a soft punch to the arm and asks, "So remember what ya started with and how far you've come, what more do ya really need? What more do ya think she expects?"

"You're right and I ain't complainin'. It's just that I'd like ta have sumthin' comfortable for them all ta sit on, ya know, a couch or a couple easy chairs, parlor type stuff. I got a money problem though. I still got a little put back but not like I did. It's cost me plenty for materials ta finish up what I done, and for the things I already bought from your cousin. So that's what I's just wonderin', if ya knew whether he might have a couch or a couple chairs or sumthin' he wants ta sell. Maybe I could afford em."

They're the next closest thing to brothers and his friend wants to help, but sometimes you can't, "I'm sorry Daryl, when the bank came and they had to leave the farm he was so mad he was gonna take everythin' that was left ta the dump. His wife wouldn't let him though, she made him take it to the church for whoever could use it. Anyway, there ain't nuthin' left."

Daryl's shoulders slump. He's at a loss and almost resigned to the fact they're going to just have to sit on kitchen chairs and he'll stand. It's not a minute later his buddy's wife is back from the bedroom, the baby sleeping soundly in her crib.

She shares an idea, "I wasn't eavesdropping, but I couldn't help hearing the conversation. Daryl I know of a possibility, a place you might get something nice that's not too much money. My friend Lilly was by to visit the other day and she told me she went to that big furniture emporium, the one on the corner of Peach and Smith. Anyway, in the back they have a big roomful of used furniture."

"It's kind of sad because most of it was repossessed when folks couldn't make their payments, but some people just turn back on their old things when they get new. Anyway, there aren't too many folks who are buyin' these days, so you could end up with a good deal."

"Thanks, I never thought a that. I'm workin' real close ta that neighborhood tomorrow. Maybe I can even make it over there on my lunch hour."

His buddy offers, "Ya know it's all gonna turn out just fine Daryl. And hey, if ya find sumthin' and ya need help movin' it, just let me know. I'm glad ta help."

He's often shocked at how kind folks are to him. It's not something he experienced growing up and sometimes it's almost overwhelming to think that people care about him. He tries hard to be that good person in return, "Thanks a lot, both of ya. And lemme just say, your baby girl is about the prettiest n sweetest thing I ever saw."

By the time he's back at his place he's feeling quite a bit better, a visit with friends helped his mood and he's actually hopeful about how it might go when Beth and her Daddy visit Saturday.

Still with everything that's happened this weekend his nerves are a little shot. He's certain about his intentions and he has no doubt that his love for Beth is true. He meant it when he said he'd always take care of her and always be true. And the fact of the matter is, he can't wait to start.

This business with her Dad though, his honor has been put in question. His honesty and his character are being doubted. It's got his head feeling like it's in a vice and his gut in a ringer. He doesn't know any other man who has gone through this level of bullshit to marry the woman he loves. But he's going through it because he knows it's important for her to have her Daddy's blessing.

For now he needs a little something to take the edge off. He doesn't typically have a snort on a Sunday evening but this Sunday has been like no other. He goes to his drawer and gets out the jar. A swallow or two of the clear liquid has the calming affect he was hoping for and he gets in a good night's sleep.

Monday morning he makes himself some breakfast, a couple of potted meat sandwiches for lunch and he's out the door. It's going to be a busy day. He plans to gulp those sandwiches down on his way to the furniture emporium at noon.

That's just what he does and he discovers that what his buddy's wife said is true. The entire back room is filled with home furnishings of every kind. Slightly used and well-used couches and chairs, dining room sets and breakfronts, China closets and fancy tables, even dishes, carpets, lamps and decorations. Whatever you could want, they got it all and they're letting it go at a real good price.

He checks it out, even sitting on a few of the couches to test them for comfort. There's a set he likes, a couch and a chair. It's not upholstered in all that flowery fabric or the pink velveteen stuff. It's a deep green, comfortable and the price is fair. He thinks Beth would like it just fine, but if she doesn't he'll buy her something new later down the line.

It makes the most sense to buy the set and get a couple of tables to go with them and he could get it all for $45.00. But he doesn't want to act in haste, he'll take the night and think it over some. If he decides to do it, he's sure the pieces will still be here after work tomorrow.

He heads toward the door not expecting the salesman to practically run him over before he can leave. In an excited voice the man tells him, "If you've got cash money to buy that set, I could let you have all four items for forty dollars even."

Daryl realizes it more every day, times are desperate for everyone. This store is just as hard up as folks losing their things. And damn, that's a deal. "You sure? $40.00 is your best price?"

The fellow is exasperated. Daryl's just asking a question but the salesman thinks he's trying to talk him down more, "Okay, okay, I'll give you everything for $38.00 and I'll throw in that carpet. That's my final offer."

"Okay then, sold. I'll give ya five bucks now ta hold everythin' and I'll be by tomorrow after work to give ya the rest and take the stuff."

The money changes hands, the receipt is written and the salesman tells him, "We'll be open until six."

He plans to go right to Merle's after work and ask for his help moving the furniture, but there's something else on his mind too. He decides to make a quick stop at the boarding house. He promised to let Miss Erma know how Beth was doing and besides, he never got to say so long to the guys. It'll be a chance to do that.

He goes in through the same door he always took and finds Miss Erma and Mister Dale in the kitchen just getting ready to load the serving cart for dinner. It's Monday and they're back to chipped beef. They share a warm greeting and Daryl smiles and says, "I guess I'ma have ta get ya some fresh meat. I might be able to do that on Sunday. If I have luck I'll bring it by."

They insist he follow them, sit with the men and have some dinner, "Naw, that wouldn't be right, I ain't paid rent ta eat."

Dale claps him on the back reminding him, "You just promised me fresh meat. C'mon Son, no one turns down a free meal these days."

Miss Erma smiles, "Daryl, you've become like family the same as Beth. Let me fix your plate real quick, something told me you might stop by and bring me news

The men are loud and smiling as they greet him and surprising to all, Mister Dale pulls two chairs close to the table and he and Miss Erma take a seat. Everyone is anxious to hear the news of his visit with Beth. He knows they genuinely care about her and him and he finds he doesn't hold back.

When he gets to the part about the furniture Abraham immediately offers, "I can lend a hand with that," and Aaron chimes in offering to help as well.

Daryl doesn't always feel comfortable asking for help and politely declines their offer, "I appreciate it and all, a lot, but I got my brother and he'll help."

Before anyone can say another word Miss Erma says, "Well now if you gentleman have a mind to help, Mister Horvath and I have an item you could move out to Daryl's for us. We've been wondering how we'd manage it."

Daryl has no idea what they're talking about and his brow furrows in confusion. Abraham just comes right out and asks, "Oh yeah, what's that?"

Mister Dale has a mischievous grin on his face when he says, "You may be sorry you offered to help, I'm not even sure you can get it done. Erma and I talked a lot about it and agreed she'll never play that piano again. We want someone to enjoy it so we're making a gift of it to Beth."

Daryl feels his jaw drop and when he regains a little composure he says, "We ain't for sure yet…I mean maybe we won't…her Daddy and all…"

Miss Erma scoffs, "That cranky old man will soon learn he can't stand in the way of love. You'll be married." Seeing Miss Erma get sassy brings quite a few chuckles from the men at the table.

Mister Dale does have concerns, "That's a mighty heavy piece of equipment, do you think you'll be able to get it moved Abraham?"

"You bet, I got real good help sittin' right here. Let's see," he looks around the table as he points, "You, and you," to Aaron and Dr. Eugene. "You get to help and a couple of you other fellas can help load it up. Daryl, you and your brother will be at your place when we get there, right? We oughta have a big enough crew to get it done easy enough."

Daryl tries to object again but the Horvath's aren't hearing it and neither is anyone else. He leaves the boarding house still feeling a little embarrassed and a lot overwhelmed, and with a heart full of gratitude.

From Horvath's he drives to his brother's home and for what seems like the millionth time he tells the story. Merle's a little agitated, "It ain't right the way he treated you little brother. You got family too, and me and mine will be there at your place on Saturday when ya get home with em."

Now he's got a whole new set of worries, "Naw, ya ain't gotta. I can handle it."

It's Carol who pipes up next, "We'll be there Daryl. It's the right thing. Your family belongs with you the same as Beth's is there for her. Besides, you'll have to serve them a meal. Sophia and I will have that ready when you all arrive. And don't worry about Merle, I'll have him in his best suit of clothes and he'll be on his good behavior."

Daryl's about to speak but his brother heads it off, advising, "I find it best not ta argue with Carol when her mind is set."

On the drive home he experiences so many feelings. He's grateful to the Horvath's for giving Beth a piano. That's something he's sure he could never afford to buy her. But such an expensive gift…it just seems like almost too much to accept.

He's grateful to the fellas for being willing to help move it and to Merle for helping with the furniture and the piano. He's grateful to his buddy's wife for telling him about the back room at the furniture store.

The thing Daryl is feeling most grateful for is the sense of family he now feels. It's something new for him and it's a powerful thing to know that his family wants to be there for him, speaking up for him, supporting him.

Life looks so much different than it did just a few short months ago.

00

Beth's become nearly possessed by the idea of getting her physical strength and capabilities back. The preacher and Miss Olivia have even joined the battle with her.

In an attempt to get her fingers working right again they've developed a new pastime. They all sit around the kitchen table and Miss Olivia and the preacher take turns presenting her with new challenges, like picking up marbles or pencils, buttons and jacks, using only her hurt fingers.

By the end of the week she's gone from failing and crying about both the failure and the pain, to being able to master all but the smallest buttons and coins.

They take several short walks each day, the preacher on one side of her and Miss Olivia on the other. They keep a light touch on her arms, just in case, but they try not to help her. By Wednesday her improvement is remarkable. She can't go far and she still has a limp, but she can balance herself and walk on her own.

There's still bruising and pain, and every evening Miss Olivia insists she soak her foot and ankle in Epsom Salts, and then the woman massages them. At first Beth tried to protest, "You shouldn't have to do that for me Miss Olivia, I'm not your responsibility."

Miss Olivia disagreed, "I beg your pardon young lady, you are most definitely my responsibility. I long ago promised your Mama I would look out for you, and I don't break my promises. Now, I have something to ask you."

"Yes Ma'am."

"I'll never be your Mama, Beth, but I can act on her behalf. The preacher and I would like to accompany you on Saturday. We can take our car and follow behind. It's not that we're trying to snoop Dear, although I am quite curious to see this home Daryl has built." She softly laughs and adds, "And I'll do my best to keep your cantankerous Daddy from misbehaving."

"Oh Miss Olivia, that would be so wonderful. I'd like so much to have another woman there, and especially you."

"It's settled then and I have another surprise for you."

Beth's eyes light up with excitement, "A surprise, what kind of a surprise?"

"We're going to bring it with us on Saturday, that's how certain I am that your Daddy will relent and you will become Mrs. Daryl Dixon. It's some things your Mama entrusted to me years ago, before your family left the farm. She feared these things would be sold, lost or left behind." She clasps Beth's hand and smiles, "It's your Mother's dishes and flatware, table linens and tea towels."

Beth's other hand is covering her mouth and tears have begun to roll quietly down her cheeks, "Oh my goodness. I always wondered what became of Mama's things. I thought Daddy sold them. But what about Maggie? Shouldn't she get them, she's older."

"Don't worry about Maggie, she got her share of your Mother's things. She got her grandmother's broach, her watch, her cameo necklace and pearl earrings. Your Mother thought you were more the kind of girl who would make a home. Oh, and she wanted you to have her bible. It will be your family bible now."

Tears are coming faster, Beth is so filled with happiness and gratitude, and a touch of sadness because she wants to hug her Mama, thank her and tell her how much she loves her.

Miss Olivia says to her, "I want you to know that I quite like Mister Daryl Dixon. He seems like a fine man and I can see that he has great love for you. A lessor man would not have put up with your Daddy as graciously as he did."

There's one more item Miss Olivia has, but she's keeping it a secret for now.

00

His house has been busy all week. Miss Erma, Mister Dale, Carol and Sophia all decided to follow along on Tuesday evening, see how Daryl's house is coming along and see what might be needed to host a meal for Beth's family.

It's all got Daryl's head spinning but he's grateful too. The ladies seem to know right where the furniture and new piano should be placed, and then they get busy making other plans.

The men are checking out what's done and what isn't. Abraham offers, "Between you, me and Aaron we could knock out the living room, kitchen and that sitting room afterwork this week. We got three nights. All we need is a good strong outdoor light in here. I can borrow one of those from the school.

"Nah, I couldn't ask you all to work after you been workin' all day."

"Maybe we'd like ta do that for ya, consider it your weddin' present."

While they've been talking Dr. Eugene has been messing with Daryl's radio. In his own style, where mostly everyone listening to him looks confused, he explains how he can get reception and make it work. Daryl shrugs and says, "If you can figure that out I'd be real grateful. It'd be nice ta have radio again."

After some back and forth Daryl gives in and agrees to accept everyone's help, but he has an idea about how to pay them back, "A'ight, but after the family weddin' and party, I'm havin' you fellas out here for a real party. We'll roast a deer in the spit, I'll have a few gallons of beer made up, maybe even some hooch. We'll crank up the radio, bring your girls or whatever, we'll have us a good time. Y'all just bring a bedroll, gonna probably be too drunk ta drive."

Abraham asks a question Daryl hadn't expected, "You remember that day ya saw me? The woman?"

"Yeah, sure."

"This party you're havin', since it's out here with no snooping eyes around, would you be offended if I was ta bring her?"

"Nah, I ain't like that. She's welcome. What's her name?"

"Sasha, if we could, we'd be married by now."

Daryl nods, then looks at Aaron and says, "When you're out here you're allowed ta love whoever it is ya wanna love."

* * *

Friday night Merle shows up with Mister Dale, Miss Erma, Carol and Sophia. They've got Miss Erma's kitchen table and some chairs, a box of dishes and one of glasses, and table linens. They set the table in the empty sitting room, bring Daryl's table from the kitchen and join the two together into one long table, then cover all with a pretty cloth.

Again he feels overwhelmed and overcome with gratitude. These are good people and he's so glad to know them.

He leaves home Saturday morning at 6:30 am. It will take him just about two and a half hours to get to the preacher's house. Another half hour will probably be spent to properly greet everyone and get Beth and her Daddy in the car, then another two and a half hours back. It'll be time for the noon meal by then.

He knocks on the door and it's the preacher who answers, "Daryl, welcome. It's nice to see you, come in please. He sees Beth sitting in the parlor chair and his first instinct is to run to her, but he's still trying to do everything right. She looks so beautiful all dressed up in that pretty yellow dress, even though it seems a bit chilly for such light attire.

He forces himself to pull his eyes away from her as he turns to the woman of the house, removes his hat from his head and nods in greeting, "Miss Olivia, it's very nice ta see ya again."

She smiles, returns the greeting and gives him the big news. He's actually quite happy to hear her and the preacher are coming too. They're a little more reasonable than Beth's Daddy, whom he greets next, "Sir, nice ta see ya again." It's then he discovers just how good it feels to be able to say, "My family's lookin' forward ta meetin' ya today."

Beth gets to her feet and Daryl can't understand why no one is rushing to help her. He's trying to hold back from running to her himself when she begins to walk toward him. She has a limp in her gate but it doesn't matter, she's doing it, and doing just fine. Slow but sure, and then Daryl hears himself say, "I knew you could do it Sweetheart, you're stronger than ya know."

He said it, shit, he called her Sweetheart. He notices the preacher and Miss Olivia trying their best not to smile, while Hershel Greene scowls and says, "Watch yourself young man."

Daryl doesn't care, the smile on her face and the fact that she's walking toward him on her own is all he cares about right now. She wraps her arm through Miss Olivia's for support and Daryl greets her, "Miss Beth, it's sure good ta see you again. I hope you're lookin' forward to this day as much as I am."

He opens the passenger door of his truck and Hershel starts to climb in, "I'll sit between you two."

It's the preacher that won't allow it, "No. Now Hershel, you let Beth get in first, then you. In fact, why don't you ride with Olivia and I."

"I'll do no such thing. I'm staying with my daughter."

"Alright then, but let her sit next to her Sweetheart." And now the preacher has acknowledged what everyone knows.

The ride seems tense. Her Daddy's so gruff and half crabby. They ride mostly in silence. If he and Beth were alone and she was sitting as close as she is, he'd take a chance. He'd put his hand on her knee. With her Daddy there he's simply enduring the trip.

He's seldom been happier to turn off the highway and onto his road. The fellas, his brother, Carol and even sweet little Sophia, they've been talking his place up to him all week. They told him how nice it is and how proud he should be, and how any parent should feel happy to have their daughter wanting to marry a man with a place like his place, and a job like his job. And Carol added, "And a good man. I've known what a bad one is like. Beth is blessed, you are too."

They've managed to get him feeling pretty good about showing the place off, and maybe even a little proud of himself.

As they pull up right in front of the house he smiles at Beth and says, "This is the place, I sure do hope ya like it."

"Well I love this beautiful property. If the inside of the house is even half as pretty as the outside, I know it's going to be wonderful."

And her Daddy grunts, "We'll see about that."

Daryl tries to keep in mind the old man is just crabby. Even Mister Dale told him, "He's threatened by you son. You're young and strong and you can do a lot of things he can't do, including support his daughter. That's got to crush a man, not being able to take care of his own. So, try to remember that stuff and don't let what he says bother you too much, but also don't let him give you too much crap."

Daryl just smiled and promised, "Yessir."

He helps her Daddy down from the truck, then just as he's helping Beth, the preacher and Miss Olivia are stepping out of their vehicle.

The front door opens and out come Merle, Carol, Sophia and the Horvaths. Sophia runs to Beth wrapping her arms around her waist, "Miss Beth, golly I've missed you! I'm so happy you're here."

Beth is all smiles rubbing her hand over the little girl's head and matching her enthusiasm, "I'm so happy to be here Sophia, I've missed you too."

"Are ya better?"

"I'm much better thank you for asking me."

About that time Daryl says, "C'mon now, let's get these folks inside Sophia. They'd probably like ta freshen up and I'll introduce everyone."

"Okay Uncle Daryl, I'll hold Beth's hand."

He waits and let's the others step in front of him as they all enter the living room. Things have changed just a little since this morning. There's a big vase of flowers on the table that sits between the couch and chair, and on the coffee table there's a pitcher of tea and several glasses. It's not Daryl's pitcher and they aren't Daryl's glasses, he recognizes whose they are. Miss Erma's.

There's also a tray with some kind of fancy snacks and delicate looking little napkins and plates. Never in a million years could he have imagined he'd see anything like it in his house.

Daryl hasn't gotten a chance to speak or introduce anyone yet, when Merle takes control. He extends his hand to Beth's Daddy telling the man, "You must be Hershel Greene. My name's Merle Dixon. I'm Daryl's older brother and this pretty lady is my wife Carol. That little bundle of energy is our girl, Sophia. We appreciate ya makin' the trip over here so that our families could meet up and start gettin' ta know each other."

Daryl can't take his eyes off his brother, Merle did real good. Maybe Carol coached him along. There's also the fact that Merle is Merle, he can be a bit of an intimidating figure, even all slick up in his best clothes and putting on his best manners.

The symbolism of the two men meeting doesn't escape Daryl either, the head of each family coming together. The best of it all is Daryl's no long just a lone stranger trying to get her Daddy's approval, he has people too and the playing field has become more even.

From there Daryl takes over, introducing everyone as he takes coats and such. And he watches Carol being the perfect hostess as she offers the beverages and passes the tray of snacks. He excuses himself while he takes the coats to his room and carefully lays them on the bed. He closes his eyes, draws in a deep breath and gives his body a shake to relieve the tension. He nods his head, opens his eyes and goes back to face them all again.

He asks Beth and her Daddy, "Would ya like ta see the rest of the house?" And of course they would, and so would Miss Olivia and the preacher.

There's the living room with the lovely furniture and carpet, along with the two pieces that really bring it all together, the cozy woodburning stove and the beautiful piano. Miss Olivia remarks, "Everything is just lovely Daryl, you've done such a nice job."

"Thank you, Ma'am, I had some good helpers. The sittin' room and the kitchen are just this way," they follow him and he sees the ladies have been busy, the sitting room looks like a fancy dining room. There's flowers in the center of the table, and Miss Erma is busily setting the two extra placee with dishes that aren't his. He's for sure getting Miss Erma a fat deer come morning.

There's a mud room off the kitchen with a wringer washer, and the room leads out to a small covered porch. They move back around and he leads them to the hall. There's the bathroom with the yellow fixtures and Beth gasps when she sees it, "Oh my goodness Daryl. I've never seen such a beautiful bathroom. It looks like one they'd have in a fancy hotel."

Later when they're alone he'll tell her those fixtures did indeed come from a fancy hotel, for now he continues the tour, "This here is the spare bedroom," it's just an empty room for now, and something comes out of his mouth he never expected to say, "I s'pose it'll be the baby's room someday."

He sees the color come up in Beth's cheeks, just like he feels the heat coming up on the back of his neck. Then her Daddy says, "Don't be getting ahead of yourself son."

That little moment when Beth was feeling excited that the man she loves is thinking about babies, has been spoiled by her Daddy's words. She just not having anymore of it, "Daddy will you please just stop being so cranky? This is a beautiful home and you know it. Why do you want to spoil everything?"

The man is taken aback, never has his youngest daughter spoken to him in a harsh way. He's about to scold her when the preacher steps in again, "Hershel, you may want to pray for grace and an accepting heart."

Daryl's surprised by her behavior, but in the best of ways. He likes to see her standing up for herself, and for him.

They enter his room and Beth gets tears in her eyes when she sees the yellow walls, the white trim, the white lace curtains and the white bedspread. It's not the quilt she had in mind, but she knows he did this for her and that's really all that matters to her. "It's beautiful Mister Daryl, everything I could ever want."

He wants to hold her and tell her he loves her and that he'd have painted it any damn color she wanted, but he can't. He can only say, "I'm really happy ya like it Miss Beth."

Miss Olivia and the preacher are all smiles, while it's obvious Hershel Greene has had a little of the wind knocked out of his sails.

They walk back in the living room where everyone else is chatting cordially and Merle walks right up to Beth's Daddy, claps him on the back and says, "See there Hershel, ya ain't got a thing ta worry about do ya? My brother has built a real nice home here for Beth and himself."

Dale Horvath chimes in, "And what a wonderful piece of property it sits on. I took a walk around it with Daryl the other day. It's got the nicest pond, and I know that pond is full of delicious fish. I've been lucky enough to receive some of those. And the wildlife, when we drove in this morning I saw two deer just minding their own business munching away on the wild grasses."

They sit for the meal and unlike the one he experienced the week before, this meal is all happy chatter and stories back and forth. It seems friendly and relaxed and the food the ladies made is delicious. The only thing he can possibly complain about is Beth's Daddy has seated her at the opposite end of the table from him. They spend the meal staring longingly at each other.

It's over dessert of apple cobbler that Merle puts it right to Hershel Greene, "Well Hershel, I can't think of one reasonable thing you could possibly object to about Daryl or this nice home he's built. He's a good man and he has a good job. You couldn't ask for a fella with a kinder or truer heart, so whaddya think? When we gonna have this weddin'?"

A heavy silence falls over the room as all eyes turn to Hershel Greene. The preacher advises only one thing, "You choose your words thoughtfully Hershel."

He's in a corner, there really isn't anything he can object to. Beth will have a much better life with Daryl as her husband than he could ever give her as her father. That's a truth that cuts deep. He feels the pressure more because he knows it's the right thing to do, and he does it, "The marriage has my consent. As for when and where, I'd say that's Beth's choice. She's the bride."

The table erupts with applause, laughter and congratulations and best wishes. Merle's on a roll now and he likes it, "Say, ya know, these kids would probably appreciate some time alone ta talk about all this. Daryl, why don't ya take Beth for a little walk up ta the pond?"

He's never been happier to leave a room. He can't wait to get Beth out of there and all to himself. First he insists she put on a warm coat, "It's chillier up here than down on the flatland." No one misses the way he fusses over her and helps her with her coat.

The others return to their chattering while Daryl and Beth go on their way, and as soon as they're out of sight of the house he stops and takes her in his arms. It seems like years since they've shared a kiss, and this one expresses all the longing and hunger they've felt.

00

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aw, Daddy caved. Please leave a comment with your thoughts. I'll be back next Friday with a new chapter of The Stranger Upstairs and I hope to see you here too. Until then stay safe and remember, I love ya large! xo gneebee


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading along and for the great comments. This is a big chapter full to the brim with wedding plans, a wedding day and yes, the wedding night. So, grab a plate of Christmas cookies and some eggnog and let's see what happens! xo

00

He almost lets his hand wander to her breast, but he stops himself. He's waited this long for her and he'll keep waiting until the time is right, until they're married.

When he finally draws his lips from hers, he takes hold of her hand and says, "C'mon, let's see about that pond. This time of day there might be some critters comin' by for a drink of water."

Her ankle has stiffened up and won't allow her to move quickly, he understands and he's patient. They take it slow and easy as they walk in that direction. They're not far from the house and there's not far to go, but he's concerned. He's noticed her limp has become more pronounced.

He stops and asks, "Ya okay?"

The pain shows in her face when she admits, "Maybe we could just stop to rest a minute."

Daryl bends a little at the waist, putting his back up as he tells Beth, "Hop on."

She looks at him like he might have lost his mind and asks, "Are you serious?"

He shrugs, "Yeah. This is a serious piggyback. Jump up."

Beth climbs on his back and he pretends to have to strain to lift her, then teases. "You weren't jokin'. You really are heavier than you look."

She feigns anger at his remark, but they're both smiling as he carries her to an idyllic little spot next to the water. It's a spot she's certain she recognizes; yes, it was in her dream.

He's careful as he slowly bends so she can slip down and off him. When she's safely on her feet he turns to look at her and it all comes rushing back. She's just like she was in his dream. She's so beautiful in her yellow dress with her sun-kissed cheeks and big blue eyes. And that smile, that pretty smile. He knows more than ever, this is how it's meant to be. The two of them are destined to be together in this place. Forever.

He gently sets his strong hands on her slim waist and tells her, "I never knew I wanted a wife and now I can't wait ta be married. How soon ya wanna do this Sweetheart?" He prays she won't want to wait too long.

She's pink cheeked, shy about making such a big decision on her own, "Oh I don't know, what do you think?"

"Like I said, the sooner the better for me. Ya wanna do it next week? The Saturday after that? Or is there some reason you might wanna wait?" He's hoping to God she won't want to wait.

"Umm, how about in two weeks?" It's not a time she picked for any particular reason, it just sounds right.

"Two weeks is good with me. All I gotta do is get my suit pressed."

She smiles, "You always look handsome Daryl. Two weeks should give me enough time to…well I'm not sure what I need to do, but people always talk about how much planning these things take." She looks to be in thought and then says, "One thing I want to do is call my sister and tell her the news. Maybe she can come. I'm certain my brother won't be able to, he's so far away." She looks a little sad and although he doesn't like to see that, he's relieved there are no tears.

He's also not sure what he should say, they're her people and it's her decision, so he asks a new question, "Where? Ya wanna get married at the preacher's? In the church there? Your Dad's place? The boarding house?"

She knew the answer the minute she saw the pretty pond and this beautiful spot. There's no doubt in her mind. This is the place she dreamed of, and Daryl Dixon is the man of her dreams, "Yes, I want to marry you right here where we're standing."

He hadn't thought of it but now he realizes it's perfect. What better place to make their promise? He holds her close and whispers softly, "Then this is where it will be." He takes her in his arms once again, telling her, "I love ya Sweetheart, so much."

"I love you too Daryl." Then she looks worried, "Oh my goodness, I'm going to need a dress!"

He smiles when he tells her, "Why? There never was anyone who looked prettier in any dress than you look in the one ya got on."

She looks down at the yellow cotton dress and back at him, "Really? It's not very fancy."

It's true but he points out, "Look around ya Sweetheart, this ain't exactly a fancy place." Then the thought comes, this stuff is real important to women, "But I want ya ta wear whatever ya like. Ya know what I'll be wearin', well unless ya tell me I should wear sumthin' different."

She makes herself blush hard but she doesn't care. She tells him what she's known since that first morning at Horvath's, "Well, there was never a man who looked better in a pair of overalls than you do Daryl Dixon, but I imagine you don't want to wear your working clothes. Your suit is good-looking and you look so swell in it, it will be just right."

He's got her in his arms again, kissing her while fighting those hungry urges that have him wanting more than hugs and kisses, and reminding himself over and over, "Soon. It won't be long now til I'm hers and she's mine."

They get back to the house the same way they got to the pond, she's riding on his back. Her arms are wrapped loosely around his neck and her lips are on his ear as she whispers, "I love you Mister Dixon." And his smile seems to go on forever.

What they don't expect is to see their families waiting for them on the front porch. Everyone's eyes are on Hershel Greene, worrying what kind of reaction the sight will provoke. Except Sophia. The little girl just runs toward them calling, "I want a piggyback ride! Can I have a piggyback ride?"

Only two things are preventing Merle from busting out laughing. His desire to be a good brother to Daryl, and the fact that Carol is pinching him so hard it's about to bring tears to his eyes.

Now Beth's whisper has taken on a frantic tone, "Oh no, Daddy…Daryl, put me down."

He's careful, leaning forward at the waist as she slips off. He takes her arm and her limp is quite dramatic as they walk toward the group. He can't help but wonder. Is it because her ankle has gotten even worse, or is she playing it up?

She's talking fast and there's a nervous quiver in her voice, "Hi um, I'm sorry if that looked bad. My ankle got to hurting so much that I couldn't walk at all, and Daryl did his best to carry me."

That's it for Merle. He can't hold back any longer, "It looked to me like he did a right fine job of it too, looked like a man who enjoys his work."

Olivia jumps in and tries to save the day by redirecting the conversation, "Did you two make any plans while you were out walking?"

Daryl nods, "Yes Ma'am we did. You tell em about it Sweetheart." And he's not at all sorry he used the endearment. Facts are facts, she is his Sweetheart. Forever.

Beth tells them of her and Daryl's decision and Erma responds, "Oh my, just two weeks! We've got a lot to do."

And Olivia asks, "You're sure you want to do it here, at a pond?"

"Yes Ma'am, and preacher, Sir, I hope you'll agree to officiate."

The preacher's all smiles, "It will be my pleasure."

Miss Erma inquires, "How many guests?"

Daryl and Beth discussed this question while at the pond. They decided they want to keep it a family affair. Mostly the same people that are here today. Her Daddy, her Uncle, the Horvaths, Merle, Carol and Sophia, the preacher and Miss Olivia and the only other person they'll invite will be his long-time friend, his wife and their baby. They're like family too.

What they don't tell all the folks gathered around them is, two weeks after the wedding they'll host a party that's a lot less formal and a lot more raucous for their friends from the boarding house.

When the plans are finalized and the time has come for Beth to go, the preacher insists, "Daryl there's no reason for you to drive all the way there and back, we've got room for everyone in our automobile. We'll take Beth and Hershel home with us with us."

He might have argued if he thought there was the slightest chance her Daddy would ride with the preacher and let him and Beth have a nice ride alone. He knows that will never happen, and besides he should help the Horvath's get their things home and put away.

He longs to hold her and to tell her he loves her before she goes, and steal a goodbye kiss. That's not possible either. All he can do is promise, "If it's alright, I'll be out ta visit ya next Saturday Miss Beth."

Before Miss Olivia steps into the Ford she takes his elbow, leans in and whispers something to him. He's not sure how to respond to this news, all he says is, "Yes Ma'am, alright. And thank you."

As soon as they're out of sight of the house and she can no longer see Daryl, Beth leans her head against the window. She closes her eyes and pretends to sleep. She wants quiet time with her thoughts, and on the long ride home all of her thoughts are on Daryl and the big step they'll soon take.

He does his part, he follows the Horvaths and his brother back to the boarding house and helps unload the table and all the dishes and glassware, knowing they'll be loading it all up again in a couple of weeks to take out to his place for the wedding.

The ladies already have everything planned and that's just fine with him. He has no idea about planning weddings, he just knows he's going to have one with Beth and he's never felt happier.

He's exhausted when his head finally hits the pillow. What a day, but it's done. Her Daddy said yes, begrudgingly maybe but still a yes. Soon she'll be lying next to him in this bed every night.

He drifts off knowing that together him and Beth are going to build a big life in this little home.

Sunday morning comes and he does what he promised he'd do, and what he wants to do. He said he'd get the Horvaths a deer and it's the right thing. They've done so much for him.

He gets a good size buck and once he's field dressed it and he's heading back to the house with it a thought comes to him that makes him smile. He's about to give that butcher block a good workout right in the kitchen. Once Beth is living here with him, she probably won't want this stuff going on in the house. Then again, his bride-to-be is a country girl.

* * *

Beth's got all the coins she saved tucked in a sock and squirreled away in her purse. After church on Sunday the preacher drives her to the payphone that sits in front of the U.S. Post Office building, and waits while she steps in the booth and makes her call. She takes the paper with Maggie's number written on it and lays it on the small shelf. With her bag of coins at the ready, she calls the operator.

She's connected to Maggie in no time, but they have to keep the conversation short. Long distance calls can easily cost as much as a week's worth of groceries. She tries to tell the story of her and Daryl as fast as she can get the words out, finishing with, "The wedding is a week from this coming Saturday. I hoped maybe you could come."

"Gee Bethie, I don't know. I'll try. I promise I'll try."

They each promise to write a new letter that day, they say their I love yous and the conversation is over. Five minutes, a dollar and a half. Almost half of Beth's change. When she gets home to the preacher's she writes both Maggie and her brother Shawn long, long letters telling them of her husband-to-be and the life they have planned together.

The week seems to go so slowly, she misses him so much. On the other hand, it passes quickly. Although she knows he loves the yellow dress, and she plans to wear it for him until it's threadbare, she wants something made especially for her wedding day.

Monday morning Beth carefully removes the back from her family picture and takes all the bills hiding there. She stashes them in her small bag, and the preacher drives her and Miss Olivia all the way to Albany to shop, "I'll be back here for you ladies at two. You have a good day shopping."

They visit the fabric shop first and Beth's see's it almost immediately. It's a lacy fabric, light and delicate. It's summer weight and it's chilly out these days, that makes it even better. It's on the clearance table.

She and Miss Olivia put their heads together and decide how much fabric it will take, and all the other items they'll need to complete the dress. Then Miss Olivia gets a twinkle in her eye and says, "I'm going to need some fabric too."

"What are you planning to sew Miss Olivia?"

"Well Dear, I plan to make you a new satin slip for under your gown, you don't want your dress to be revealing. There's something else too, something even more important."

Beth is already blushing when she asks, "What is that? What's important?"

Miss Olivia takes her arm and whispers conspiratorially, "You're going to need a new nightie, you can't be wearing flannel on your wedding night."

On the one hand Beth's face feels like it might catch fire, on the other hand she's feeling quite excited.

From the fabric shop they visit the lingerie section of the department store. Miss Olivia insists, "You won't need a new camisole, the slip I'm making will do for that, but you're going to need a little fancier pair of undies, a garter belt and white hose."

These are things Beth hadn't even thought about. She's never owned a garter belt or hose. Socks with her shoes is all she's ever worn. Miss Olivia not only promises a lesson in how a woman puts these things on, but further embarrasses Beth by adding, "Daryl will enjoy helping you with them too." Although her face is once again on fire, it's true that the thought also has her titillated.

They have their lunch at the drug store fountain, chicken salad sandwiches and cream sodas. Another new experience for Beth.

It's been such a wonderful day she doesn't even mind that her ankle is burning and throbbing with pain.

Her week is consumed with thoughts of Daryl and their quickly approaching wedding day, and she's feeling such a broad range of emotions. Excitement, longing and fear about what will happen on their wedding night. She's keeping busy though, sewing on her wedding dress and trying to get her leg better and stronger.

Daryl's week is consumed with a bear of a job at the main plant that keeps him worried and concerned for most of each day, except before and after work and at lunch. During those times, and especially when he lays his head down at night, all his thoughts are on his new bride.

He's looking forward to the wedding itself and sharing their special day with family, but most of his thoughts are of their wedding night. He's excited but he's nervous too. His young bride-to-be is so innocent and he's never had the experience with anyone so pure.

He made the mistake of mentioning his concerns to Merle who slapped him on the back, smiled and said, "Just do your best not ta hurt her, and make sure she has as much fun as you do." Merle may be a jerk, but dammit, he's right.

They see each other on Saturday and it's wonderful to be together, but they don't get to be alone for even a minute. That part is so hard. They're both longing to share a touch, some closeness and a kiss. Even a private word or two would be nice, but the only private words are spoken between Daryl and Miss Olivia.

It happens are they share a meal. Out of the blue Miss Olivia says, "Daryl, I'm sorry to interrupt your meal, but could you come to the kitchen with me for just a minute? There's something I need to ask you to do."

He has no idea what it could be but he's willing and happy to help her with whatever. Beth's looking curious and confused, why would the woman call Daryl away from the table to do a favor? Couldn't it wait? But she won't question her hostess. The preacher and Daddy just keep eating like they never heard a thing.

The following week seems to drag for the couple. All they can think about is the day when they'll finally get to be together, forever. Forever in a house together, forever sharing a bed. The thought can be a little scary, but they're both sure the good life they'll have together will easily outweigh any challenges.

Finally, the day they thought would never get here arrives. She's so grateful to wake up to sunny skies, she hopes they'll be just as sunny over his way.

Daryl doesn't understand quite why he's not supposed to see her, but if it's what she wants he'll go along. So, once the tables and chairs are in place, and all the heavy lifting is done, he and Merle make their way back to Merle's house.

Daryl has his suit and shoes and everything else he might need to get ready, and when the time comes that's what he'll do and then, at the appointed hour, he and Merle will head back to his place. Silly, yeah, but it's the way Beth wants it and that's all he needs to know.

The preacher has loaded her suitcase with all of her things in the trunk of the automobile, along with the foods Miss Olivia has made. Her dress is covered and hanging from a hook above the rear driver's side window. A satin bag sits on her lap. It contains her new slip, nightgown, undies, garter belt and hose. Just looking at it gives her a little tingle.

They've managed to cram everyone in the car and surprisingly neither her Daddy nor her uncle make a complaint about the closeness.

He's not there when they arrive at the house, she knew he wouldn't be and yet she's disappointed. She's been missing him so much. She's not sure why they have to hide from each other but she's been told its bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding. That seems so silly, they've seen each other a hundred times. But it's tradition and so it is.

Miss Erma is there waiting and so is Carol. They've been busy all morning and Beth feels so blessed they want to do these thoughtful things for she and Daryl.

There are pots of fresh flowers on the porch, where her Daddy and Uncle immediately plop themselves down, while Beth enters what will be her new home. She sees the dining table and almost cries at the beauty of it. There are even paper "wedding bells" hanging from the ceiling and Sophia tells her, "I helped make them Aunt Beth. That's you ya know, you're gonna to be my _Aunt_ Beth as soon as you marry Uncle Daryl."

"That's right Sophia, I will be and you'll be my sweet little niece who made me such beautiful wedding bells."

There are pretty flowers at the center of the table and she recognizes Miss Erma's fine china, crystal glasses and beautiful silver. They never used those things at the boarding house. Miss Erma explained they were far too delicate and far too expensive to be used every day. It makes Beth smile knowing that Miss Erma thinks her and Daryl's wedding is a special enough day.

She goes to the bathroom to freshen up before dressing, and stops to take a good look at the bathroom again. Everything about it is so pretty and perfect. Daryl did a wonderful job. She does wonder about the shower. She's never taken one and doesn't think she ever would. Especially when there's that big pretty yellow tub.

She bathed that morning but still she takes the time to give herself a good bird bath and apply some lotion. Once she's done and in what is to be her new bedroom, the room she'll share with her husband, she sits and Carol does her hair.

Beth didn't want to wear a veil and so Carol weaves some small flowers and greenery into a long loose braid instead. Miss Erma has a special bottle of perfume that Mister Dale gave her for Christmas, "I never use it, but I didn't tell him that. I know he paid a fortune for this stuff, it's that Chanel brand." She puts a little dab behind each of Beth's ears and on the inside of each wrist, "You smell lovely Dear. Very fancy."

Finally Miss Erma helps her with the garter belt and hose. Beth is surprised, embarrassed and really quite excited about the way the ladies giggle and make naughty little jokes about garter belts, hose and men. They tease her about how much fun Daryl is going to have helping her remove the stockings.

Never would she have imagined any of these women playing the sorts of bedroom games they mention. Then she recalls what Maggie once told her, "Everyone does it, it's just that not everyone talks about it." Maybe Maggie isn't as full of beans as Beth always thought.

The ladies hear Merle's truck pull in, and they know the preacher is under orders to immediately walk with Daryl up to the pond and wait for them all to arrive. Miss Erma asks the bride, "Are you ready to get your pretty dress on and go to your groom?"

The question nearly brings tears to her eyes, "Yes, yes I'm ready."

The white lace dress is much like the bride, modest. There's a high neckline so they're very cautious when they slip the garment over Beth's head, being careful not to muss her hair. She slips her arms in the long, cuffed sleeves and Miss Olivia buttons them at the wrist, while Carol's busy with the buttons at the back of the dress.

The flow of the dress gently follows the curves of Beth's body in a soft drape that falls to mid-calf, showing off her white hose and a new pair of white shoes. After today the shoes will have to be put back until spring. That's alright though, they were marked down 60% at Jordan's Shoe store in Albany.

When she's ready Carol smiles at the sight of the young bride and says, "Oh my Beth, you look like a princess."

Daryl's old buddy escorts her uncle and all the ladies, with the exception of the bride, up to the pond. It's Merle who will take Beth and her Daddy. He gives the others enough time to get there, then asks her, "Ya ready little sister?"

"Yes Merle, I think so."

"Well ya make a beautiful bride, Daryl's a lucky man."

"And I'm lucky too."

He nods, "Ya are," and helps her and her Daddy in the preacher's Ford. He drives them as close to the pond as he's able, without risking getting stuck. He helps her down from the cab, gives her Daddy a hand, then sticks his thumb and middle finger in his mouth, proceeding to make a very loud whistle. He looks at his watch, waits three minutes like he's been told to do, then tells her, "Alright, you and your Daddy walk this way along the path and you'll see us all there waitin'. You remember, right?"

"Yes, I remember."

"Okay, I'ma run ahead and get up there with Daryl, I just need a few seconds head start, k?"

"Yes."

Merle can see she's shaking like a leaf so before he goes he his hand on her arm and promises, "It's gonna be just wonderful, you'll see."

Daryl didn't plan to be nervous, after all, this is what he wants, it's what he's waited for. Now he's as nervous as a cat. He just wishes she'd get here and they'd get this done. Everyone can eat some food and then go home and leave him alone with his bride.

When he hears his brother's whistle, his gut clenches but not in a bad way. It's just nervous excitement and anticipation. Hurry Beth, hurry.

Merle's standing to one side of him, the preacher in the middle and on the other side of the preacher is Carol. The rest of the group are no more than ten feet away, all smiling happily as they wait.

Then Daryl sees his bride and he almost hollers, "Beth!" and runs toward her. She's so perfect and he feels like he's waited for this moment forever. But he doesn't move. He stands, spellbound by the mix of sweet innocence and womanly beauty walking toward him.

She thought she might faint she was so overcome with both excitement and nerves, and then she saw her groom. He looks so handsome, so strong and manly. She can't wait to say the words and promise herself to him.

Even Daddy appears to have lost his sour look. He's not smiling, but it's almost like he's trying to.

The ceremony begins, they've asked the preacher to keep it brief and he does. It's all so nice and going so smoothly, and then Daryl makes his promise as he slips the ring on her finger. When she sees the gold filigree band she squeals. It's impossible to know if it's in horror or delight. Carol places hands on her shoulders and asks, "Beth, are you alright?"

"Yes, yes, I'm wonderful, so happy. Daryl, where did you get this ring?"

He nods his head in the woman's direction when he says, "Miss Olivia gave it to me."

Olivia calls, "Your Mama wanted me to give it to your true love to give to you." Her Mother's wedding ring brings such happy tears to Beth's eyes.

Finally it's time for him to kiss his bride, but he keeps it mostly chaste. The sort of kiss he'd like to give her is not to be enjoyed in front of an audience.

Back at his house the radio's tuned to soft music and he silently thanks Dr. Eugene for the gift. Everyone is happy and chatty and the food they all share is delicious. Daryl purchased the country ham for Miss Erma, along with some other requests the ladies had, and the effort they all put in has provided so many wonderful dishes. He didn't expect to be able to eat, neither did Beth, but they've both been too nervous to eat for two days and now their stomachs won't be denied.

He feels a slight twinge of guilt, he shouldn't have wished these people away. They're the best folks in the world and he and Beth are blessed to have them.

He didn't even think about a wedding cake but he's not surprised the ladies have. Miss Erma has outdone herself. It's a white cake with a strawberry filling and white mountain icing. He and his bride make the first slice together, he feeds her a bite and she feeds him one, and they smile and kiss and the guests all laugh and clap for the newlyweds.

There's another kind of hunger they're feeling and it won't be denied either. As soon as their guests have departed, they set about trying to satisfy that hunger.

* * *

He seems so confident and his small smile displays a hint of mischief. If she didn't know him as well as she does, she probably wouldn't realize he's feeling almost as shy and nervous as she is. Shy or not, his desire dominates any inhibitions he may have.

He speaks softly but she notices the deeper throatiness in his voice when he says, "Lemme help ya with them clothes." Part of her wants to run and hide in embarrassment, but her own desire is stronger than any bashfulness she feels.

He has hold of her hand as he offers, "Sit Beth," and gestures toward the bed. The moment she's seated he drops to his knees in front of her and removes her shoes. She can't imagine what he's up to when, beginning at her ankles his fingers skim slowly up the sides of her legs. It tickles in such a warm and exciting way, and his fingers cause the hem of her dress to rise with them. He stops when the tops of her hose and the garters holding them are revealed.

She's feeling a little timid but also excited and curious. He looks at her, smiles and it happens. With seemingly no effort at all he pops the garters open, never taking his eyes off hers. She lets out a little gasp when he bends to kiss and lightly suck her inner thigh, it's all she can do to try and sit still.

He's got her aroused, curious and wanting more. Then he slowly begins to roll the stocking on her left leg down, stopping now and then to lean in kiss, lick and suck on her tender flesh. Beth's heart is racing. Who could have imagined that something so simple could be so sensual and cause her to feel almost dizzy with excitement and anticipation. By the time both stockings are removed her whole body is tingling and she feels the dampness on her new undies. What has he done to her? She's not sure but she's eager for more of his touch.

Now she understands what the ladies were all giggling about.

He stands, extending both hands to her and helping her to her feet. He places his fingers on her shoulders and guides her to turn. When her back is to him he smiles, pulls the band from her hair and gently takes the blonde curls in his hand. Leaning in he kisses and sucks at the back of her neck and she feels herself backing closer to him. She's disappointed when he stops, but then he begins to loosen the buttons of her dress. She could never have imagined those big rough hands would be so skillful at popping the tiny round buttons open. It seems he's quite an expert.

A wave of anxiety rushes through her, oh no. He must have been with lots of women before her. Then she tells herself no, no. That's not for her to question. She knows a woman should never ask a man about such things, and she doesn't really want to know.

It doesn't matter anyway. He chose her, they're husband and wife. That's all that matters now. With those thoughts her anxiety fades. She only hopes she'll be able to satisfy him.

In no time at all she's down to just her slip and there's nothing under it but the fancy new undies Miss Olivia insisted she have. His body is so close she feels the warmth of him as he's kissing her so passionately.

His hand drifts to her breast and as he gently cups it his thumb rubs back and forth across her nipple. Beth has been so nervous about this sort of touching, but she feels the nipple harden and her undies grow damper. Now she knows, she likes it very much when Daryl touches her that way.

She hardly has time to take a breath before she's naked. Her body is flushing red with a mix of embarrassment and the heat of passion. His finger glides softly and slowly along her outer arm as he studies her and whispers, "You're so pretty and so delicate lookin' Sweetheart," and while he speaks he's lifting her off her feet and laying her in their bed.

She lays quietly, her eyes never leaving him as he pulls his suspenders down, then loosens his tie and tosses it on the dresser. Soon his shirt is hanging from the back of the chair, and the buttons of his trousers are open. He reaches for the hem of his undershirt, then freezes. He looks at her and admits, "I got scars Beth…"

She interrupts, telling him so matter of factly, "I know, and tattoos. I saw them."

"Ya don't mind?"

"I don't think so. I'm in your bed."

He laughs a little, he's so much more relaxed now. What he spent so much time worrying about turns out to be no problem at all. He pulls the shirt up and over his head, and she lets out a soft gasp. He's worried again, "Sumthin' wrong?"

"No. Not wrong at all." He smiles, happy knowing she likes what she sees, and glad to know she's more open to these things than he expected her to be.

When he's fully naked there is no gasp, no smile, not even wide eyes. She can't speak or think or move. She can only look. She's never seen a grown man naked, and her husband is quite the man to see.

He slides in the bed next to her and as they lay there looking in each other's eyes he lightly skims the backs of his fingers along her cheekbone, whispering, "I love ya Beth, ya know that. Ya ain't scared are ya?"

"A little, and nervous."

He kisses her forehead and admits, "Yeah? I'm nervous too." With their confession they both relax a little.

She's certain his body couldn't be any closer to hers. She can feel his heart beating as he kisses her so deeply and passionately. His hand lightly clutches her neck while his fingers weave into her hair and his thumb rubs lightly along her jawline.

It all feels so loving and wonderful, and she's shocked by her strong urges to touch his body. She wants to rub her hand along his skin, she wants to feel his muscles and become familiar with her husband in a new way, an intimate way.

She wasn't sure she'd be able to feel deep desire for a man, but with Daryl desire has been building for quite some time. Still, she's a bit timid as she begins to run an open palm along his arm and quietly whispers, "You have such big muscles."

He kisses the tip of her nose and says, "It's just from workin' is all." She doesn't care what causes it, she likes the look and the feel of him. She's surprised at her boldness and by how aroused she feels as her hand moves a little higher. She rubs along his broad shoulders and once again she's a little daring, "Whatever causes them doesn't matter, I find them very appealing."

He had not expected the behavior any more than she had. Her curiosity and willingness are exciting to him. He worried she might be hesitant or shy about touching and being touched. He didn't want to have to spend their wedding night trying to coax her, and he knows he could never force himself on her. But never did he think she'd be so interested in his body.

He has no complaint that she is.

The more he feels her light touch on his body the more his desire to explore her body grows. It feels like he's waited forever to touch her in all the ways he knew were forbidden. He slowly moves his hand to her breast and she stiffens just a little, but as he lightly rubs her nipple she relaxes and her fingers begin to knead his back as he feels her lower body press into his.

He kisses his way down her neck and across her shoulders, and she'd swear he's put some kind of spell on her. She moves her arm and leans back a bit as if presenting herself to him. He takes advantage of the invitation as his mouth envelops her breast.

Her skin feels so warm and his does too as his open palm begins to follow the gentle curve of her body. He feels his desire growing as his mouth and tongue stay busy at her breast, and his hand glides along her body. He feels the dip of her slim waist and when his hand reaches the gentle swell of her hip he changes course, slipping the hand slowly along her abdomen. He pauses long enough to whisper, "Ya got such a nice shape Beth, a perfect little body."

Her breathing is shallow and she's aware there's more and more wetness between her legs, and then his hand is there. He's pushing on her mound as his fingers tease her damp curls, while his mouth is back on her breast and his tongue is flicking across her nipple.

She feels her low body begin to squirm like she needs him to touch her more, and he seems to understand her needs as his finger slips inside her. She lets out a gasp at the sensation. It hurts a little and feels good all at once, and as his finger continues moving inside her she finds herself wriggling more and still seeking more of him.

Her reactions make him bolder. He nudges her legs apart as he moves his body between them. His finger keeps working inside her as he spreads kisses across her breasts and abdomen, and she hears herself squeal when he kisses and then nibbles her mound. He stops what he's doing and asks, "Is that alright?"

She smiles softly as her fingers comb back strands of hair and she answers, "Yes, I just…it feels good."

Again her words and the way her body is reacting have him excited and feeling brave. It's so good knowing she wants this as much as he does. That's more than he ever could have hoped.

He has so many feelings for her, there's so much love that sometimes it feels like too much, but no. He knows that's not possible. There's no such thing as loving her too much. He wants her, he wants her bad and he asks, "Is it okay, can…is it alright?"

"Yes, yes." She leans up on her elbows, she wants to see him, see what he's doing. The sight of his hardened manhood nearly takes her breath away. How will this possibly work? But she knows he knows and she trusts him. And the truth is she's yearning for him and she wants to make him happy.

He looks in her pretty eyes and she looks at him. He holds himself in his hand touching her womanhood with the tip of his manhood. The sensation excites her, and then he begins to softly stroke it along her opening and she feels the surge of wetness as her arousal grows.

She can't believe her body, how it seems to know what to do. Her hips raise to welcome him and his voice is coarse and husky when he promises, "I love ya, I'll be careful with ya."

In spite of her craving for him she feels some apprehension. She's not sure what to expect and she's afraid of the pain, but she trusts him, "I know you will be, I love you too."

He's got his own fear. How can something they both want, the pleasure of making love to each other, cause her pain? It doesn't seem right. They're both holding their breath as he slowly and carefully begins to slip inside her. Her body turns rigid and he leans down, his lips to her ear, "Try'n relax, it'll be better for ya. Easier. I'll be careful. I love ya Beth. You're my Sweetheart."

He goes slowly as he pushes himself into her, and when he feels that barrier of resistance he knows what it is. He bends down trying to caress her as he makes the push he knows will take her innocence.

She lets out a yelp and cries, "Oh! Oh Daryl!"

He apologizes, "Sorry, I'm so sorry. I can stop if ya want." He prays to God that's not what she wants.

His prayer is answered when she breathes out, "No, Daryl don't stop."

At first he keeps his movements as slow and steady as he's able, giving her time to get used to the feel of him. His efforts pay off when eventually her hips begin to match the movement of his. He leans down, his cheek close to hers as he attempts to rest his weight on his forearms. He's so worried he'll hurt her. He nuzzles into her neck, smelling the sweet warmth of her skin and reminds her again, "I love ya Sweetheart. This is good, it's right."

They're lost in the warmth of their love and the hunger as their bodies move together. It's as if they were always meant to. She clutches onto his bottom like she wants more of him, and he goes deeper inside her and increases the speed of his movements.

He wants her to feel the pleasure before he does. He can't ruin this for her. She feels soreness but it doesn't matter to her, she needs him. His hand slips down to where their bodies are joined and she feels him pushing on her mound again. Then she feels something else, his finger is touching her in a way that's causing her to get more and more feverish as he pumps into her harder, while continuing to tantalize the little spot with his finger.

Then it happens, her body becomes rigid and she feels as if she can barely breath. She quivers and stiffens again. She's hot inside and out and her whole body shakes as she feels the gush of wetness while calling out to him, "Daryl!"

Her husband can't hold back any longer. His body stiffens as he pumps harder and deeper, and then he lets out a kind of frightening guttural noise as he calls out to her, "Beth!" and she feels his juices spill inside her.

His body softly collapses into hers as they try to recover their breath. He rolls to one side and takes her in his arms asking, "Ya alright Sweetheart?"

"I'm wonderful. I never thought it would feel so good."

He smiles, "Yeah? Well I ain't never felt nuthin' better and that's a fact. I love ya, Beth and I'm sure happy I married you today."

"I'm going to love you forever Daryl, and I'm happy and proud to be your wife."

They hold each other close and before they can even think about cleaning themselves up, they're sleeping soundly in each other's arms.

00

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: I'm going to take Christmas week off but I'll be back with a new chapter of The Stranger Upstairs on Friday, January 1st. We'll see if we can have a Happy New Year! In the meantime, please leave a comment. If you celebrate, I wish you a Very Merry Christmas! Remember, I love ya large and stay safe out there! xo gneebee


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank You and Happy New Year! Our couple has just shared a lovely wedding and wedding night. Now what? Well, a lot. I hope you enjoy!

00

He wakes sometime in the night with his arm laying across her small body. He's a little disoriented at first, but the confusion quickly fades and he's overcome with the warm and happy realization of where he is and who's in his arms. His Sweetheart, his wife.

Her skin feels cool and he pulls her closer to his warm body, pulling the cover up over her slim shoulders. She moans softly as he snuggles his face into her hair, kissing her blonde curls. Then he realizes something else. Something not nearly so pleasant. They're a mess.

Their lower bodies are covered in dry blood, right along with the proof of their pleasure. He kisses her again before propping himself up on one elbow and whispering, "Sweetheart. Sweetheart?"

She moans again as her body scoots closer to his, seeking his warmth. She's just as disoriented as he was and without opening her eyes she sleepily asks, "What?"

He hates to do it but this isn't going away, besides maybe they'll have a little fun, "We need ta get up and get in the bathroom Beth. We gotta get cleaned up, then we can come right back ta bed and you can sleep all ya want."

When he reaches his arm over and turns on the bedside lamp her eyes closer tighter, "Daryl that's mean."

He laughs softly and responds, "I ain't tryin' ta be mean Sweetheart but we don't wanna leave this stuff, especially not on your tender skin. C'mon, let's get cleaned up and get ya back ta bed."

Her brows furrow and she asks, "Together? In the bathroom together?" And he sees the color in her cheeks.

He kisses her forehead and reminds her, "Sweetheart, we've already seen each other naked there ain't nuthin' left ta be shy about, besides we got no secrets. Have ya forgotten when I helped ya use the bathroom?"

He's surprised to see her turn even redder, "Well I…but it's…I'm not sure why but it seems embarrassing."

"Alright then, if it'll make ya happy I promise ta try not ta notice how pretty ya are." He practically leaps from the bed and now she's wide awake and staring at him. She finds her husband's masculine body so attractive and so sensual, how can she help feeling the warm tingle of desire as she studies his manly physique.

He picks her up in his arms, pulls her close and states, "If ya won't come willingly, I guess I gotta get ya there any way I can."

The way he so easily scoops her up in those muscled arms proves to her once again, her husband is all man. There's no denying his strength or his power, and yet he holds her so tenderly. Still she makes a weak effort to resist, "Daryl! I…," But it feels too good and instead of scolding him she finds herself wrapping her arms around his neck and resting her head on his chest.

Once in the bathroom he sets her on her feet and smiling suggests, "We could both probably fit in that shower…together."

She feels herself gulp as though she's consumed an entire glass of water in one swallow. She catches her breath and questions, "Together? Both of us at the same time? In a shower?"

She's so sweet and her shyness only makes him want this with her even more, "It ain't like we're doin' anythin' wrong girl, we're just washin' up together is all. C'mon now, Beth. I'm your husband, you're my wife. It'll be fun. I promise."

Looking at him now reminds her of the first time she saw him. Those eyes of his are still just as blue as a flint stone. They got to her then and they're getting to her now. How can she say no? Instead she asks, "Doesn't it hurt when that water hammers down on your skin?"

His lips curl into a small smile. He knows she's going to agree, she just wants to be coaxed a little more. His arms encircle her and he pulls her close when he promises, "Nah, it don't hurt. It's like a soft rain and it'll be better for cleanin' this mess up than soakin' in a tub would be. Besides, ain't I told ya a buncha times, I ain't ever gonna let anythin' hurt ya."

Once they're in the shower together with the warm water gently pouring down on them Beth begins to relax, and as soon as she relaxes she begins to enjoy this experience with her husband. Very much. As it turns out, not only does the shower clean them, but it cleans them in a most delightful way as they wash each other's bodies.

By the time they hurry back to the bedroom, with him carrying her in his arms once more, they're so filled with desire they don't want to have to change the sheets. But it has to be done and they do it together, and in record time. He promises, "We won't hafta do this every time."

They're giggling by the time they jump between the sheets and this time their lovemaking is so much more relaxed and so much more playful. When they reach the point of complete surrender they're blissfully satisfied and fully exhausted.

He's not one to make the same mistake twice. He kisses the top of her head promising, "Be right back Sweetheart," and hurries to the bathroom. He cleans himself up and prepares a warm cloth for her, and he thinks about the chances he's taking.

He hasn't been being careful. He knows better. Unless he wants a baby real soon he's going to have to either start pulling out when his finish comes, or he's going to have to start using rubbers. Neither of those things appeals to him in the least. She's his wife and he wants to be fully with her. Dammit.

He doesn't share those thoughts with her. It's not hers to worry over. He's the man and it's his responsibility to take care of these matters, and to take care of her. So he doesn't mention anything, he only brings tender love as he gently cleans her with the warm cloth.

When the cloth is in the basket and he's back in bed with her they lay side by side. He's holding her hand as he tells her, "I love ya Beth. Get some sleep now."

She replies, "I love you too Daryl," but then adds, "I don't know if I can sleep though, I'm so hungry. Is it okay if I have something to eat?"

"Is it okay? Beth, this is your home. Everythin' here is yours. You eat what ya want when ya want, and if there's ever anythin' we don't have ya tell me and I'll get it for ya. C'mon now, let's go get ya fed. I could eat myself."

They rise and for the first time she slips into her new satin nightgown. He smiles at the sight of her and teasingly warns, "If ya keep on lookin' so good we might never get any food or rest."

* * *

After a very eventful night Sunday morning comes. They discover they've slept in later than either of them ever has, it's 8:30 in the morning. That's not a problem though, they're in no hurry. This is their day. The one day they have together, just the two of them alone here and enjoying each other.

Winter has officially arrived and brought with it a definite chill in the air. He holds her robe while she slips her arms in the sleeves. While she steps into her slippers he slips into flannel pajama bottoms and a flannel shirt.

He asks her to watch him as he builds a fire in the woodstove and then the cookstove. "I know ya done it lotsa times in the past, but they all got their little differences. This old cookstove, it's a dandy, it's easy ta get your fire goin'. The woodstove is a little more temperamental. If the box gets cold it has ta be babied along."

He winks at her when he adds, "I usually make a habit of gettin' up in the night and stokin' it. I can't understand why I didn't think ta do that last night."

She only shrugs and shakes her head at him in response.

She's yet to unpack her Mother's things, wash them and put them away in the big kitchen cabinet. She didn't feel it was proper to do so until she was officially his wife and this became her home. They'll be using whatever things he has today.

He checks in the icebox and smiles, "Our weddin' guests left enough food that ya won't half ta cook for a week."

She nods as if in agreement. She looks forward to cooking for Daryl and there's not a chance of her serving him the same old thing every night. That ham will take on new life as ham and potato casserole, creamed ham and peas on biscuits, ham and beans with cornbread, and so much more.

He takes some of the leftovers from the icebox and remarks, "Looks like I'ma need ta stop and get a fresh block of ice on Tuesday. That'll put me twenty minutes late gettin' home."

She knows how hungry her husband is after work, she'll have his dinner ready "Alright, I'll plan on that."

"And tomorrow's the day I stop at the laundry in the mornin'. You gather up whatever ya got that needs ta go."

"Why Daryl? I saw the washing machine. I can do our laundry right here."

His tone is firm, "No. I don't want ya puttin' anythin' through that wringer. Women and children mangle fingers, hands, arms all the time in them things. If anyone ever comes up with an automatic machine I'll see about gettin' ya one. Til then I help ya and we use the Chinese laundry."

It seems silly when they have a perfectly good machine right here, but his tone leaves no room for argument. She won't go against her husband's wishes, she quietly agrees, "Yes, alright Daryl, if you think that's best."

He doesn't want to be a bully or act like he's her boss man, his tone softens as he explains that, "I ain't try'n ta be bossy with ya Beth, I just ain't willin' take chances with ya gettin' hurt."

They eat heartily and then dress for a walk. She's smiling with excitement, she's anxious to see the property however, he has some concern. He's no doctor but he saw plenty of injuries during the war and he's fully aware her ankle is still bad. He believes it will get somewhat better with time, and he makes a point to give her plenty of encouragement. But he's sure it will never be quite right.

She'll probably always have a slight limp and maybe she'll be a little limited in how far and how fast she can walk. He feels bad for her but he won't mind helping her along or carrying her when she needs him to.

He's got a pistol tucked in his jacket pocket just in case they encounter any particular danger, but he didn't bring his rifle and he didn't bring his bow. This isn't that kind of walk. He's only interested in sharing with her the beauty of this land they share.

He's walked the property hundreds of times and never has he needed to stop and rest, but this day he's got more on his mind than just himself and he stops many times so she can rest. They sit and he shares with her stories of his adventures on the land. He tells of clearing it to make room for their home, the hunting trips and the walking around trips, and the many times he just wanted to get out and breath the air trips.

She smiles at her husband. She knows why they keep stopping. She knows her ankle is never going to heal properly. She knew that almost from the start. She's certain he knows that too, but they're not going to talk about it now. She simply makes her promise to him, "I'll never stray far from the house without you Daryl."

He leans in, kisses her lips and makes his own promise, "I'll take ya walkin' anytime ya wanna go, anywhere ya wanna go."

Although she grew up on a farm she is not so well-versed on what grows wild, what's edible and what to stay away from. He shares his knowledge with her but asks, "Please don't try nuthin' on your own, show it ta me first. I don't think any of this stuff is gonna kill ya, but it could make ya mighty sick or ya could break out in a bad rash."

"Don't worry, I'm not that adventurous. I'll always ask you."

When Monday morning comes he wakes to find her already up. The fires are burning and breakfast is on the stove. She smiles when he walks in the kitchen and says, "Good morning Mister Dixon, are you ready for some coffee?"

All he can do at first is stand there and ask himself, how the hell he got so lucky. He walks to her and kisses her cheek, "Yeah, I'd like a cuppa coffee. Thanks Sweetheart. Can I help?"

"No, you do what you need to. Your breakfast will be ready in five minutes, your lunch is packed and in your lunchbox."

He kisses her cheek again and whispers, "You're gonna spoil me."

"I'm just doing my job." Then tells him, "I enjoy doing things for you. I know how blessed I am to have such a good man."

They linger over their goodbye kiss, both wishing they could have more time together, alone. Maybe someday but for now he has a family to support.

She goes in the bathroom, washes and dresses and then sets about her day. She cleans the kitchen, sweeps in front of the woodstove and the cookstove, makes their bed and tidies their room. She's working fast, she has a task she's been looking forward to so much.

Finally, she begins to unpack her Mama's dishes, flatware and kitchen linens. Everything is just as she remembers. It's not fine china, it's just simple pale green glassware, and the flatware isn't fine silver, nor are the linens handmade and imported from Italy or Ireland. None of that matters because to her they're all indescribably beautiful, precious memories she feels so blessed to have.

She washes and dries every item, then cleans the big cabinet thoroughly from top to bottom before carefully storing the dishes and flatware inside. Rearranging them three times before deciding they look just right.

She'll wait to wash the linens. She promised her husband she would not run anything through the wringer, and she won't ask him to help with washing after he's worked hard all day. The linens will just have to keep.

The drive home seems longer to him than usual and he knows it's because he's so anxious to get home to her. When he walks in and sees her he can't help but smile, he knows he'll never see anything or anyone as pretty as Beth.

It's not that she's fancied herself up. She's wearing a dress and apron he's seen her in many times. Her ponytail is slightly off center and there's not a speck of makeup on her face. None of that is important because her cheeks are flushed pink from the heat of the cookstove and her eyes twinkle happily when she says, "I'm so glad you're home. I missed you today."

It's simple, beautiful, perfect.

As he leans in and places a soft kiss on her cheek he says, "I bet I missed you more."

He doesn't mind at all the part about sitting and holding each other's hand while they say grace, it's fine with him. All except the part about her believing that it's him who should be leading the prayer, "You're the man of the family Daryl."

He is and he doesn't want to deny her this simple request. He knows it means something to her, "Be patient with me Beth, I'll work on it."

That's all she needs to hear, that he's going to try. She's always heard women say, "men don't notice anything." Her husband does. She's delighted when he says, "These are nice dishes, your Mama's, huh?"

She smiles, "Yes."

He adds, "They make a pretty table Beth and I see ya got em in the cabinet. It all looks real nice." Then she's reminded that he is indeed, a hardworking man, "So does dinner, let's eat."

She knows he doesn't really care about such things as what the dishes look like, but he knows she cares. It's one of the many things she loves about him, he has a kindness to him he's not even aware of. "I hope you like creamed ham."

He's chewing a big bite when he swallows and answers, "It's hittin' the spot just right. Thanks Sweetheart."

He's noticed something though. Her limp has been far more pronounced this evening, and he saw her wince when she carried the biscuits to the table. She's been on her feet too much, doing too much. Before they get up from their seats he reaches for her ankle and gently sets her foot on his leg. He massages the slightly swollen ankle and mildly scolds, "There ain't nuthin' around here that won't wait ta get done, ya gotta take it easy. Ya ain't healed yet Beth."

They go to bed early; they have good reason to. They've been missing each other's bodies. They make love and he forces himself to be careful not to get her in the family way, he's been being careful since he scolded himself this past weekend. Afterward they lay close, holding hands and ready for sleep when out of the blue she asks him, "How many children do you want Daryl?"

Shit. He has no idea. He never planned to even have one. He's not sure how to answer so he asks back, "Well how many do you want?"

"I could be happy with just two, but I think I'd like three or four. Maybe even five."

Now he's really stymied, but the words that come out of his mouth sound like he's joking, "I ain't sure we can get five beds in that spare room. Maybe three tops."

She thinks he's kidding and giggles, "We'll find room."

Daryl's unsure how he feels, is it selfish to just want her? To just want the two of them to be together, not worrying about anyone else.

00

Over their first several days as a married couple they've slipped into a routine. They both find comfort and happiness in that. Their country and their world is experiencing a great economic depression. These are difficult times for many, impossible times for others.

They feel blessed to have their piece of ground, their home and each other. He hasn't mentioned it to her, he has no desire to worry his wife, but he's given plenty of thought to how they'd survive if he, like so many others, were to lose his job.

He feels sure they could survive. He can always find food right there on the land. He'd just have to find enough work to pay the yearly taxes and keep them in milk, flour, potatoes.

With those thoughts always at the back of his mind it comes as a pleasant surprise to him when one evening that week she mentions, "Daryl, come spring do you think we could plant a garden?"

At first he's unsure, maybe she means something else. He knows how much his sweet wife likes flowers, "A flower garden?"

She smiles, "Well that would be lovely too, but I was thinking of a vegetable garden. I think one would do nicely right behind the house. The soil is rich and if we till it up it should be perfect. We could grow tomatoes and corn, carrots and even potatoes. There are lots of possibilities. What do you think?"

It's as if she's been reading his mind, "I think it sounds like a real good idea. Why don't ya draw it out the way ya want and come spring, I'll get it ready for ya."

"I was also thinking about getting some chickens, just a few."

She has him smiling, "So I guess I'm buildin' a chicken coop then too, huh? I s'pose you're gonna want me ta get ya a cow next."

She's pursing her lips, trying not to laugh when she answers, "I would love that, but I don't think we have enough pasture."

* * *

This Saturday two weeks after their wedding is a day Beth may never forget.

The couple are busily getting ready for a big celebration. Their friends are due to start arriving at noon and preparations have been underway all morning, some even began last weekend.

Last Saturday morning Daryl dug a pit and then got busy turning many a downed tree into charcoal. This morning he got started early building a fire in the pit, and getting the coals just right before lifting the deer onto a homemade spit over those hot coals. With the help of a small motor the spit has been slowly turning all morning. Cooking the meat low and slow.

He's made a ring of rocks and readied more wood for a large campfire. There are bigger logs around the campfire spot for everyone to sit while they drink and visit.

Beth has made lots of corn pudding, a big pot of beans and potato salad. Abe was over during the week and told them Sasha was planning to bring deviled eggs. Daryl and Beth objected, reminding him it was supposed to be a thank you celebration. Abe just smiled and said, "Yeah, well you tell Sasha no, I'm scared to."

Carol's another one who insisted on helping. She's bringing succotash and macaroni salad. Sophia won't be coming with them, she's staying with the Horvath's for the night. There's going to be a lot of drinking going on, it's no place for children.

Daryl's got a huge barrel of beer and several jars of hooch. They've warned all the fellas ahead of time. If they're planning on getting pie-eyed they better have a sleeping bag with them. There will be no driving home drunk.

It's just after noon when the guests begin arriving. Carol and Merle are first and he's got several bottles of homebrew as well as a couple jars of hooch. Aaron and Eric arrive next with some sliced breads they got at the bakery and a bottle of corn whiskey they secured from a friend.

Abraham and Sasha turn up and Abe makes the introductions. Beth can see the woman is nervous, surely she feels out of place and Beth and Carol do their best to make her feel welcome.

Shortly after Abe and Sasha it's the doctor, Steven Edwards and his ladyfriend. Daryl's old army buddy and his wife come driving in, having entrusted the baby to the care of her Mother. The rest of the fellows from the boarding house arrive and everyone is in a cheerful mood and ready to raise a ruckus. The last to make his appearance is Dr. Eugene. Everyone is a little surprised when the awkward doctor introduces them to his date, a very attractive woman named Frankie.

No one has arrived empty-handed. There's an abundance of food and vast amounts of alcohol.

She and Daryl are sitting on a log like everyone else, surrounding the campfire. Her husband's hand is firmly clasped around hers as he drinks his beer while. The radio blasts and the drinking has reached great intensity. She supposes this could be what is meant when folks "blow off steam."

Whatever it is Beth has never seen anything like it. She knew there would be beer which she assumed they'd drink with their meal. She knows now just how wrong she was. No one's eaten a thing, but plenty of beer and hooch have been consumed.

She watches as a laughing Merle hands Abe a bottle of beer and tells him, "Get busy." The big redhead stands and Daryl starts chuckling, Beth has no idea why. The big fellow tilts his head back and the bottle up, and somehow he seems to simply pour the brew right down his throat without so much as stopping to swallow. The other men hoot and holler encouragement, and laugh and applaud at his beer drinking prowess.

Beth has never been around drinking and all she can do is stare in disbelief at the spectacle of their drunken friends. Several of them take up what must be a challenge. They attempt to drink a bottle of beer just as Abe has, including her husband who seems to be having a grand time as he downs the beer.

The more everyone drinks the more coarse the language becomes, right along with the subject matter of their conversation. She's stunned by the way they talk, and what she finds most amazing is the women who are present laugh and join in the "fun."

No one seems the least bit embarrassed or shocked by any of it. No one but her.

As the drinking continues and the music seems to get louder several of the guests get up and start dancing. She knows of the dances but never has she witnessed inebriated couples doing the jive or the shag. Then something happens and she's certain she'll never forget the sight of it.

It's Daryl's buddy and his wife and they're doing the jive. They're not doing too badly for two drunken people dancing on uneven ground. Then as the fellow hops and spins he loses his balance and falls flat on hisback. He has hold of his wife's hand and she falls on top of him.

They're laying flat on the ground now, but instead of trying to get to their feet they laugh and start necking passionately. Beth has to turn away from the sight when his hand slides up to his wife's bottom and he starts to squeeze and rub it, as if they're alone.

The part that has her really horrified is how several of the men and women are egging it along, catcalling, whistling and hollering for more.

The problem is, when she turns away from that spectacle she spots Aaron and Eric. They've wandered off in the trees but they're still clearly visible to her. Eric's back is pressed against a tree and Aaron's whole body is leaning into him. That's not all, Aaron is kissing Eric like Daryl kisses her when he wants more than just kissing. She's never seen such a thing and never really believed it happened. She believes it now.

After a goodly amount of such shenanigans several of the revelers appear to become suddenly ravenous, and they swoop in on the food like vultures. However, the eating doesn't appear to have deterred their drinking at all.

She's seen her husband sit and have a drink a beer or two. She's seen him drink some whiskey on occasion. Never has she seen him drunk, and she's certainly never seen him like this. Never has she seen anyone act like these people are acting. What makes it particularly unbelievable is she thought she knew all these men. They've always been such perfect gentleman, and now alcohol has caused them to lose both their minds and their inhibitions.

Eight o'clock rolls around and they're still at it. Everyone keeps drinking and there's an awful lot of kissing, suggestive talk and plenty of touching. Beth is the only sober one at the party and she doesn't think she can take a minute more of it.

She whispers in Daryl's ear, "I'm tired, I think I'd better go to bed."

He looks worried, "Ya ain't mad are ya?"

"No, no I'm not mad. Just tired."

Once in their room she takes a deep breath and tries to calm herself. She doesn't feel comfortable taking her clothes off, what if she has to get up and go out there for some reason? So she only removes her shoes and slips in under the spread, not wanting to crawl between the sheets while still dressed. She's only there a few seconds when she gets back up and locks the door, worried one of their drunken guests may accidentally stumble in.

As tired as she is there's quite a bit of noise and she finds herself having trouble falling asleep, but eventually exhaustion gets the best of her. She falls into a deep sleep until sometime very early in the morning when there's a tapping on the bedroom door. Her eyes open as she hears her husband call to her, "Beth, Beth, I'm sorry, lemme in, please."

She doesn't realize he thinks it was him she meant to lock out. As soon as she's got the door unlocked, he's in the room and shutting it behind him. He reeks of beer, whiskey and the campfire, and she thinks she might even smell a cigar. It's not that she doesn't want him to hold her, but the smells are making her a bit queasy and when her tries to hug her she says, "No Daryl, not now." Never did she think she would tell her husband no. He hoped she never would.

He misinterprets the meaning for her refusal and he promises, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean ta get so snockered. Please don't be mad. I's just havin' a little fun, that's all. It ain't gonna happen again anytime soon."

She repeats herself, "I'm not mad Daryl. I said I wasn't and I'm not. We'll talk when we're alone." She means what she says. She has questions she'd like to ask and things she'd like to talk about, but she's not mad at him.

What he thinks is that as soon as everyone has left he's in for a helluva tongue lashing. Shit, he might not even be allowed in their bed.

Carol and Merle are asleep on the living room floor. There's people out sleeping in their automobiles. Aaron and Eric even have a small tent. The most shocking sight is Dr. Eugene and the woman named Frankie. They have their bags zipped together and they're laying cuddled up beside the dying campfire.

Eventually the guests all rise, but they don't shine. They're not at all festive this morning as they gather up their things, help pick up their messes, thank their hosts and leave.

It's just the two of them now and he hurries to try and tidy up the messes that are left behind. When his bride begins to follow suit he tells her, "No, I'll do it Beth, you just rest."

She responds, "No Daryl, I can help clean up." He's more certain than ever, she's mad.

As if that weren't bad enough, his head is pounding, his gut is wrenching and all he wants to do is to crawl in bed. Preferably with her. But for now he thinks it's best for him to continue cleaning up, she's mad enough.

When it's all mostly cleared up he says again, "I'm sorry Sweetheart, and I just can't take havin' ya so mad at me."

"I'm not mad Daryl. I said I wasn't and I'm not. But I have made a big decision."

Oh shit, here it comes. Still he bites the bullet and asks, "What's that?"

"I need a drink."

As bad as he feels he can't help laughing when he asks, "Can we maybe wait and do that next Saturday night?"

"Yes, that's what I was thinking. We could sit out on the porch and have a drink and talk."

Never has he been more relieved. He wants to kiss her and hold her, but he knows what he needs to do first, "That sounds real good Sweetheart. I think I'll just go ahead and shower now."

And he's sure a light breeze could knock him over when she says, "That's very good news, and I'm coming with you."

00

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was a good morning, a good party and nobody's mad. Thank goodness. Please leave a comment and let me know your thoughts. I hope to see you all back next week for a drink with Beth. Until then, I wish you a Very Happy New Year, and remember, I love ya large! xo gneebee


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Notes for the Chapter:**

> I keep trying but I just can't seem to thank all of you enough. Let's see, Beth wants a drink and Daryl needs a shower. We'll see about those things and so much more. I hope you enjoy! xo

00

He stops himself. He has something he needs to tell her before they get in the shower, "I'm sorry. I know I messed up. I shoulda talked to ya more before we had everyone here. I shoulda told ya about how things might go, warned ya how people can act when they're drinkin' and cuttin' up. Sometimes I forget ya ain't ever been around a buncha drunken idiots, includin' your husband when he's soused." Then he gets honest, "Or maybe I's worried if ya knew ya wouldn't want em over."

Although she won't quite hug him his hands are resting on her shoulders when he adds, "I know you know as good as anyone, these times are hard. Sometimes folks just need ta forget all that's gone wrong in the world and have some fun. Don't be mad at them guys and gals, please."

She reaches to lay her hand over his and says, "Daryl Dixon, I am sick and tired of telling you I'm not mad, in fact, if I have to tell you again then I will be mad."

She gets honest too, "Some of what I say was surprising to me but I don't think less of any of them. The truth is, it made me a little envious and a little curious. I've never had a drink and now I want to see what it's like to just let myself go the way all of you did." She smiles adding, "But I only want to act that way with you."

He's smiling too and not just because he's relieved, he likes the things she said, "If I didn't stink so bad I'd hug ya right now." Then he chuckles, "I better hurry n shower. I don't know how much longer I can hold out."

The shower does its magic and the pounding in his head has begun to subside, even his roiling stomach seems to be settling down. There's something else that has him feeling better. The touch of his sweet wife's hands as she washes his back has turned his thoughts to something he knows would cure him completely.

As they're drying each other off he takes his chances. He pulls her close, kisses her deeply and begins to fondle her breast, whispering in her ear, "Whaddya think about goin' back ta bed so I can show ya how much I love ya?"

She shakes her head like he's being bad but she's smiling so sweetly when she answers, "That does sound pretty good. I could use a little more rest, I didn't sleep very well last night,."

They prove their love and leave no doubt about their lust, then settle in for a good long nap. By Sunday afternoon everything in their world is just right, except they're ravenous. They eat leftovers and take a walk and before long they're right back in the routine where they feel most comfortable.

That day they could never have imagined all the ways their lives would change during the next few months. For now the week is busy but it's good and it goes by so quickly. Saturday morning he's up early and tucking covers in around his wife as he kisses her cheek and promises, "I'll be back soon."

Her eyes are barely open when she sleepily replies, "I'll miss you," and falls back into a deep slumber.

By the time her husband returns mid-morning she's up, dressed and she has everything waiting. The coffee is made, the potatoes are fried and staying warm in the oven, the biscuits baked and the eggs are ready for the pan.

The both smile as he proudly presents the fish, cleaned and ready to be cooked. She dredges the catch in a mix of flour and cornmeal before carefully placing them in the waiting cast iron skillet. Soon they're sitting together over a hearty meal that will serve as their breakfast and lunch. These shared moments with her are some of his favorite times, but there's something gnawing at the back of his mind. He's been a little worried and he asks, "Ya sure ya wanna drink tonight?"

The hooch is no problem, he's got three jars of it in his dresser drawer. What's bothering him is he has no idea what might happen, yet he can't very well tell her she can't have a drink. He's done more than his share of drinking and she knows it.

"Yes, I'm sure. I think it's time I find out why folks like it so much. Everyone gets so silly and some of them act quite crazy, including you Mister Dixon. It makes me wonder if I will."

He suspects crazy isn't exactly in her nature. He just hopes to God she's a happy drunk and not an angry one, or worse, a crying one.

Early in the evening they make their way out to the porch. He's got a small campfire going just far enough from the porch so as not to be dangerous. He pours a small amount of the hooch in a water glass and hands it to his wife, then watches as she takes her first sip.

It's a tiny sip. He doubts he'd even feel such a small amount pass his lips. His wife though, she's no drinker. Her eyes fill with water and she coughs a little, and he's genuinely concerned when he asks, "Ya okay Beth?"

She takes another sip, far bigger than her first, looks up at him and grins, "Yes, the second one's better."

He gets to his feet and says, "I'll be right back." He returns with a large glass of water and handing it to her instructs, "Drink plenty of this with that hooch."

He sits cross-legged across from her and they don't speak much at first. He drinks from the jar and she drinks from her glass, but as time passes the alcohol does to them what alcohol does. Their inhibitions begin to fade away and soon they're discussing topics of a personal nature.

She's noticed how he sometimes acts unsure about Merle and whether his brother will follow through on promises and agreements. Merle's always been good to them and she wonders why Daryl would have these feelings. She's never asked him because she worried he would think she was prying, but now she asks.

He has no qualms about sharing his feelings with her, he's already told her about Merle's trouble with the weed and the opium. Now he gives her another example of how that's affected his own life. He tells her a story from long ago about being with Merle and one of his buddies, and how he almost got shot. Then he does his best to explain to her why and how an addict will turn on their own to get money for dope.

He finishes with more honesty, "Merle can be a dick, but I can be one too. He's been good since Carol and Sophia came into his life. Now I need ta let him off the hook for whatever happened before." He realizes what he said and quickly adds, "Sorry for the language."

She understands and in turn she's honest with him. She discloses the troubles her own Father had with alcohol admitting, "Alcohol nearly cost Daddy his marriage, and I can already tell how much I like the way it makes me feel. I don't think I'll be drinking again after tonight."

At this point she becomes more somber and he knows there's something heavy weighing on her mind. She tells him about her concerns regarding her Daddy and her Uncle. She wonders out loud about how they're going to be able to keep getting by, especially now that she's no longer sending money home. She ends with, "It's not a good life for them Daryl. I lived it with them and I know that."

He's not sure what he's supposed to do or say but he's feeling some pressure. Shit, is she going to ask if her Daddy and her Uncle can move in with them? He doesn't want that. They're just getting started and he wants to be selfish and be able to have his days and nights with her alone. Still, the man is her Daddy and Daryl respects that, and he knows he'll do anything to make her happy.

For now he doesn't offer, he asks, "Do ya have sumthin' in mind?"

She hates to ask and the truth is she wishes she and her husband could just be here alone, but she can't very well turn her back on her Daddy and her Uncle. She ventures, "Well, I don't know. We have a lot of land, do you think maybe we could build them a little place here? I could help."

He almost laughs at the notion, "I ain't makin' you help me build a house." Then he's the one to become somber, "I learned a lot buildin' this place so I know what it would take in terms of money and time." He takes her hand and gives it a squeeze, "Give me a week or two ta think about it all, draw up some kind of plan and see what I can figure."

She leans up and wrapping her arms around his neck tells him, "Thank you so much Daryl. I couldn't ask for a better husband. I'm so blessed."

He's feeling overwhelmed but the truth is he loves her, so he hugs her back and says, "Ya kiddin'? I'm the luckiest guy in the world."

She thought drinking would be so much fun but now there's a heaviness to the air. She tries to lighten the mood by asking, "Shouldn't we be having more fun? Everyone seemed to be having an awful lot of fun last Saturday. Do you know any good drinking games we could play?"

She's so damn cute he almost forgets everything they just talked about. Maybe the evening can still be saved. He takes a healthy swallow from the jar and asks, "Ya ever played strip poker?" He'd bet a million bucks he already knows the answer.

"Strip poker? I've never played poker of any kind, and do you mean we'd be playing cards and taking our clothes off?"

"Ya only gotta take your clothes off if ya lose Sweetheart. Only if ya lose." He doesn't care who wins or who loses, if he has anything to say about it they'll both be naked before long.

* * *

On the fourth Saturday after their wedding and as previously arranged, they take a drive to the home of the preacher and Miss Olivia. Her Daddy will be there and they'll visit and share a meal with everyone. They haven't seen or spoken to any of these folks since their wedding day.

The couple have already discussed Daryl's plan for building a small house, and decided that after dinner her husband will ask to speak to her Father privately. At that time he'll tell Hershel everything, and although Daryl's not at all excited about the prospect, he'll do his best to pretend he is.

They arrive at the preacher's home to the usual greetings and warm and friendly conversation. Everything is quite pleasant and yet Daryl feels certain there's something being kept from him and Beth. He senses it, yeah, something is going on.

He's worried now and hopeful no one is sick or hurt. He doesn't ask. It's not his place to just jump in with a lot of questions. These folks will share when they're ready to share.

They sit down to a nice meal of chicken and dumplings, which happens to be just what Beth prepared last evening. Of course, neither of them mentions that. Daryl also doesn't mention Beth's chicken and dumplings are the best he's ever tasted.

They've said grace and passed the bowls and platters of food around the table, and that's when her Daddy finally shares his news. He's all smiles when he tells them, "I have something to tell you." He looks at his daughter and says, "Now Bethie, don't you get yourself all teared up."

That's already got her nervous as her Daddy continues, "A year and a half ago I received an offer from Shawn. He asked me to come stay with him and his family down in Sonora. He promised plenty of warm, dry air and the sounds of children laughing." He smiles saying, "You brother said those things would be good for me."

Beth and Daryl share a look and she's about to mention their plan, but her Daddy goes on to say, "I told him I couldn't come because I had to look out for you, and I couldn't abandon my brother either. But if I'm telling the truth, I sure did think I'd like to go."

"It'd suit me real good to get back working a piece of land, my brother too. Shawn and them, they've got a big place with cattle, horses, chickens and goats. Not to mention my three little grandchildren who I have yet to meet." He pulls an envelope from his pocket and says, "Two days ago I got this from Shawn. He says in his letter he received word from you Bethie. He says you told him you were getting married. He wrote that now that you don't need me here to take care of you, I oughta reconsider and stay with them. He went so far as to send train tickets for me and your Uncle. That train leaves from Atlanta next Saturday afternoon and I plan to be on it."

She feels her heart as it breaks and she knows that if she cried enough her Daddy would agree to stay, and then what? Her already overworked husband has to build another house? How long will that take? And what kind of toll would it take on them all? She knows it would be selfish to ask her Daddy to stay.

Besides, the opportunity to live in peace on a working ranch is a Godsend for her Daddy. He and his brother could leave behind the poverty and substandard living conditions they've endured, and Daddy would finally see his grandchildren. She always imagined him as a grandpa playing with little ones and having summer picnics. That dream she had will come true for him on her brother's land.

Still she has to ask, "Are you sure that's what you want Daddy? You know you could stay with me and Daryl, why this very day he was going to offer to build a place for you on our land."

Hershel Greene shakes his head "no" and tells his daughter, "I'm not going to burden you and Daryl with so much, not when Shawn already has a place ready. He tells me it's real nice, the original caretaker's casita." He smiles proudly and says, "That means little house in Spanish. See? I'm already learning the language. Don't you worry now, it's the best thing for me and your Uncle."

Daryl is holding tight to her hand while the preacher and Miss Olivia agree with everything her Daddy has said. How can she argue? She agrees, "Alright Daddy, if that's what you think is best."

On their way home her husband has to pull off on the side of the road. She's crying hard and the deep sobbing sounds hurt his heart. He cuts the ignition and takes her in his arms, "Sweetheart, I know you're sad but we just gotta try'n think about what's best for your Daddy." Using his forefinger he tilts her chin so she's looking at him and like he always does, he tells her the truth of how he feels, "It's better for him and it's better for us, at least for now. Maybe someday he'll come home here, but for now? I'd like ya to myself for a couple years."

* * *

Daryl's borrowed Aaron's sedan, it will make a more comfortable ride for a group of four, and the following Saturday he and Beth pull up to the old shack that at one time was his wife's home. Her Daddy and his brother are standing at the ready, anxious to begin their journey. Each has nothing more than a small worn carpet bag. All of their worldly possessions are contained in those bags.

There's not a lot of chatter on the ride to the train station. No one wants to risk saying anything that will cause any emotions to rise up. They keep it to the mundane, the weather, the crops the local gossip.

They pull into the big terminal and Daryl carries the bags as they locate the correct train. It's going to be a long journey but the older men are looking forward to it as though they were embarking on an exotic adventure. Beth has packed them each a sack containing sandwiches, apples, cookies and a jar of tea, and before she knows what's happening the trainman is calling, "All aboard!"

She hugs her Daddy tightly for what she fears may be the last time, then she smiles and tells him words reminiscent of those he once spoke to her, "You remember you're a good man Daddy and you read the bible every day." Then she kisses her Father's cheek and says a last, "I love you Daddy."

She hugs her Uncle, Daryl shakes the hand of both men and when her Daddy says, "You take good care of my baby girl Daryl Dixon," he promises to always do just that.

By the time they return Aaron's car, pick up the panel truck and get home they're spent. Exhausted physically, but even more so emotionally. And they're hungry. She suggests, "We still have some deer roast from last night. Would sandwiches be okay?"

His wife has had a hard day and he really doesn't want her doing anything at all, and then an idea comes to him. He smiles and answers, "Whatever ya throw together is fine with me, don't go ta no trouble. A can of beans would do." He puts his arm around her waist when he asks, "How 'bout I build us a campfire? You can bundle up and we'll sit outside there and eat. Anytime I'm breathing outside air I feel better."

He always seems to know what she needs. She reaches up on tiptoes to kiss his cheek when she answers, "Thank you Daryl."

00

They've been married nearly a year now and they've received a bit of an unusual invitation. Dale and Erma Horvath have asked them to come by for tea and a late afternoon snack on Sunday. The time is set for 3pm, after the men of the house have eaten their meal.

Beth knows Erma's routine well. Sunday afternoons are her favorite time to sit in their private parlor, sip hot tea and read poetry. She doesn't question though, the invitation is thoughtful and it will be nice to visit with friends.

They can't help having some concerns though and on the drive to their former home Daryl and Beth discuss those concerns. Could something be wrong? Erma has had health issues but certainly nothing that seemed in any way life-threatening. Dale may not be as strong as he was at 30, but he's still getting along just fine.

As Daryl pulls the panel truck into the parking area two things immediately catch his eye, his brother's automobile and a brand new custom built Covered Wagon Camper Trailer. The Covered Wagon happens to be hitched to Dale Horvath's automobile.

Daryl's itching to hear the story behind this and soon after they enter the boarding house they're escorted to Horvath's private parlor. Merle stands to greet his brother and sister in law, and Beth has to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing. Never has she seen anything that compares to the sight of Merle Dixon balancing a delicate cup and saucer in his big calloused hands.

Beth offers to help serve but Erma insists on pouring the tea. The coffee table holds a platter of dainty tea sandwiches, another of sliced fresh fruit and cheese, and a third with fancy cookies. Something is most definitely afoot.

It's as they sip their tea that Daryl and Beth learn of the talking and planning that has been occurring behind their backs. It's Dale Horvath who begins the conversation, "Ever since Erma and I got our first automobile we've dreamed of taking a drive across this great country of ours. About two months ago when I woke up complaining of a catch in my low back and Erma was suffering from swollen and arthritic hands, I looked at my Dear One and said, 'It's now or never. If we wait, we're going to be too old."

He looks happy and satisfied with himself as he continues his story, "We had a talk and we agreed the time had come, but we also agreed we weren't ready to give up and sell the boarding house. We got busy on plan. I ordered the Covered Wagon and we talked to Merle and Carol. We asked them to consider giving up their apartment, moving themselves and Sophia here and running the house for us while we're gone."

"No…kiddin'?" Daryl caught himself just in time, just before "no shit" came out, right in front of the ladies.

"Nope, no kidding to it. They've been trying to save for a house and living here will make that all the more possible. No rent, no groceries, no power bills. All they have to do is do what we've always done. Carol will even have young Sophia to help and that little lady is quite the hand."

Merle jumps in to explain further, "We'll keep the living quarters a lot more private with my daughter here. I'll be closing off where you enter from the back hallway and into your old room Beth, and from the kitchen to the living quarters. Everything will lock up tight. I ain't worried about anyone here now, but ya never know what's coming down the line."

Daryl nods in agreement, if anyone would know who and what to lookout for it would be his brother.

Daryl and Beth are stunned by all the news but not at all unhappy. Of course they'll miss Dale and Erma but what a wonderful opportunity for the couple to live their dream, and what a stroke of luck for Merle and Carol. Merle will be able to sock away every dime he would have paid in rent and groceries for a year. That will make a hefty down payment.

They all go out to the parking lot and admire the new Covered Wagon. Daryl's seen a couple of Model T's customized into small campers but never have any of them seen the likes of this fancy home on wheels. There's a bed and cabinets, a kitchen table and even a small ice box and an alcohol stove.

Beth hugs Erma and remarks, "You have all the comforts of home, it will be such an enjoyable way to travel." Then asks, "When do you plan to set out?"

The answer is sooner than she was ready to hear. Erma replies, "Next week. Dale's been bent over the map for the last month planning our route"

What she says next surprises and delights Beth, "And my sweet Girl, I have a gift for you."

"Miss Erma no, you shouldn't be giving me gifts."

Erma corrects her, "I certainly should if I want to, and what I want is for you to have and enjoy my sewing machine. Just like with the piano, I've come to terms with the cruel fact I will never be putting it to good use again. I know you will and that's what I want. I also have a big box of fabric and another of sewing notions for you."

The couple is still stunned when they arrive home. Daryl carries the machine in and sets it on their dresser, then the boxes of fabric and notions. He promises, "Next week I 'll get ya a table built for that. "

Beth knew there was no way tea sandwiches stood a chance of satisfying her husband's hunger and she's prepared. There's cold fried chicken, potato salad and Jell-o with fruit waiting for them. As soon as he says the blessing Daryl asks her, "So I guess ya changed your mind about tellin' everyone today, huh?"

Beth smiles and shrugs, "It just didn't feel right. This was a big day for Erma and Dale and I wanted it to be theirs. Now they can go off on their trip and enjoy themselves. I'll send a general delivery letter in care of the post office in Jackson, Mississippi. When they get there, our news will be waiting."

"Whatever you think is best Sweetheart."

As he relishes his food he watches her and thinks of the day she told him the news. It was a Friday night and the end of a real tough work week. They were sitting outside by the campfire. He was enjoying a beer while she sipped at a pink lemonade and her head rested on his shoulder.

They were quiet, just staring into the flames and enjoying each other's company when she softly said, "Daryl?"

"Yeah Sweetheart?"

Then she lifted her head and they looked in each other's eyes and he knew what she was going to tell him. He smiled, "You're gonna have a baby?"

Her mouth dropped open and she socked him softly in the shoulder when she quizzed, "I haven't told a soul, how in the world did you guess?"

He kissed her forehead, shrugged and answered, "You're my wife Beth. We live in the same house, sleep in the same bed and we make love regular. I probably know your cycle better'n you do." He hugs her close and adds, "I been waitin' for ya ta say sumthin' for couple weeks. I figured ya would when you was sure." He kisses her again and smiles, "When ya lost your breakfast this mornin' I lost any doubt I had."

Now over their fried chicken dinner they get excited all over again, and they talk about the same plans they've talked about nearly every day since they've known.

What they know is, they don't want their baby sleeping all alone in the spare room. Daryl's already drawn a rough plan and he'll be building the little one a bed. Their baby is going to be sleeping in their room for quite some time to come.

He says he doesn't care if it's a boy or a girl as long as the baby is strong and healthy, she agrees. They discuss names. For boys he likes simple names, Bart, Ted. Martin, Don. Beth likes biblical names, John, James, Paul, Matthew.

For girl's names he wants Elizabeth or any of the associated versions, Beth, Betsey, Betty, Liz. She doesn't want her name, she prefers Ruth, Lenore, Katherine, Mary.

What they finally decide is if it's a boy Daryl will name him, if it's a girl Beth will name her.

Throughout the pregnancy her husband watches over her like a hawk. He makes sure she eats right, drinks her milk and doesn't work too hard. Never does he leave for work in the morning without kissing her and saying, "I love ya, take a nap after lunch." And except for some morning sickness during the first few weeks her pregnancy is an easy one.

A week before the baby's due Miss Olivia comes to stay. Daryl's grateful she'll be there to help Beth with childbirth, but he's anxious about having someone in their home. He's still selfish of his time with his wife.

Still the spare room is ready and he's not going to complain. These are good people and they're blessed to have them in their lives. Miss Olivia does everything for them and he finds it a bit embarrassing having a woman besides his wife greeting him with coffee in the morning and packing his lunch, but he couldn't be more grateful.

* * *

It happens on a Monday an hour before he's due to arrive home from work. Beth's sitting in her chair sewing tiny bows on tiny sleepers. She's been uncomfortable all day and when she stands to walk to the bathroom, for what she is certain is the millionth time that day, it happens. Her water breaks.

By the time Daryl walks in the door both the mess and Beth are cleaned up, and his wife is now in their bed. He stays with her as long as Miss Olivia will allow, even refusing to go to the kitchen and eat his dinner. Finally at midnight the woman tells him, "You leave the room now Daryl. It's going to be very soon."

He stays right there, just outside the bedroom door. He paces and he prays and he imagines every terrible thing that could go wrong. Then he hears a tiny squal and his shoulders slump in relief. He can't wait another minute. He opens the door and Miss Olivia scolds, "No, not yet Daryl. Go on out while I clean Beth up."

"Nah, I ain't leavin' her and our baby no more tonight. I'll help ya clean Beth up," the woman is taken aback as he does what she never thought she'd see any man do.

There's something else on Miss Olivia's mind and she can't let it go another minute. The man hasn't eaten and that's just not right. She tucks the baby in the crook of it's Mama's arm and says, "Daryl Dixon you are a stubborn man." Then she smiles and says, "And a very good man. I guess you'll eat in here tonight. I'll go get you a big bowl of stew and some biscuits. You just stay where you are."

For once he agrees, "Yes Ma'am, and thanks for everythin'."

As soon as the woman is through the door he's leaning in and kissing his wife. She's so tired and he tells her, "Sleep Beth, while the baby's sleeping you should sleep too."

"You still have to give him his name Daryl."

He smiles, "Alright, I think it's a good one you and me are both gonna like, John Lee Dixon."

She smiles and looks at their little boy, "Johnny Dixon. That's a wonderful name."

**Five Years Later**

_It's a warm summer day and they're at the pond. Their little_ _two-year old girl, Mary-Beth, is laying on a blanket in the grass, sound asleep. Her Mama's old umbrella shading her from the sun. Daryl has just finished helping Johnny rig his new fishing pole and he tells the boy, "You're gettin' real good at this stuff son. Now ya wait here while I take care of Mama, then I'ma help with that castin'. You're gettin, real good at that too. Pretty soon ya won't need Daddy's help no more."_

_"You can help Mary-Beth Daddy, she'll still need ya," and his Daddy smiles in agreement._

_Daryl turns to his wife and he's still smiling. She's wearing that old yellow dress he loves so much. Her rounding tummy is straining against the buttons at the waist a little. It's a look he loves. It means their baby's growing. He places his open hand softly on her tummy, smiles and tells her how pretty she looks, just like he tells her every day._

_She thinks he's the one who looks good. He's wearing his overalls and a dark shirt, but one hot day he cut the sleeves off that shirt and the sight of his bare arms still takes her breath away._

_She smiles at him and tells him she doesn't want to touch the worm, it's so slimy. She asks him if he'll bait the hook for her. Although he teases her he smiles while he does as she asks, telling her, "Sweetheart, I hope ta be baitin' your hooks for the rest of my life."_

_The End_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everyone who read the story and a special shout out to those who commented. I appreciate the kudos and the bookmarks so much. You guys are the reason I keep writing. Give me two or three weeks to regroup and I'll be back with a new Bethyl multi chap story. Until then please stay safe and remember, I love ya large! xo gneebee

**Author's Note:**

> There's our start. I hope you enjoyed it and that you'll leave a comment. This story will post each Friday and next week we'll find out just who this man Daryl Dixon is. I hope you'll check back in then. Until next time, stay safe and well, and remember, I love ya large! xo gneebee


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